Calm has returned to Cairo after a night of bloody clashes between supporters of toppled Egyptian President Mohamed Morsy and unidentied gunmen and security forces on Tuesday.
Seven protesters were killed and at least 244 others injured, according to the Anadolu news agency. The Health Ministry reported nine people had died in violence that struck Cairo, Giza and Qalyubiya on Tuesday night.
In al-Nahda Square in Giza, calm returned after hours of hit-and-run clashes between pro-Morsy protesters and unidentified gunmen. Morsy supporters described their opponents as thugs hired by security forces.
The protesters accused the police of hiring plainclothes thugs to attack them, adding they were subjected to heavy fire.
Anti-Morsy demonstrators meanwhile claimed the "thugs" were in fact local residents.
Four were were killed and 40 others wounded, according to medical sources at the al-Nahda Square field hospital.
Popular committees securing the square intensified their presence in anticipation of further violence.
The main stage there also asked protesters to be on guard.
In Rabea al-Adaweya, in eastern Cairo, popular committees remained on alert for fear of attempts to break up the pro-Morsy sit-in.
In Tahrir Square, protesters slept in their tents while popular committees positioned themselves at exits and entrances to the sit-in.
One person was killed in Tahrir Square on Monday when pro-Morsy marchers approached en route to the U.S. embassy in Garden City.
