Cairo: Egyptian police arrested more than 500 supporters of the blacklisted Muslim Brotherhood when deadly violence erupted on the anniversary of the 2011 uprising, the interior minister said on Monday.
Protesters and security forces clashed on Sunday after Islamists called for demonstrations against President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi's government as Egypt marked the fourth anniversary of the toppling of ex-strongman Hosni Mubarak.
Supporters of Mubarak's successor, Islamist Mohamed Morsi, have regularly clashed with security forces since he was ousted by then army chief al-Sisi in July 2013.
On Sunday, "we arrested 516 elements from the Muslim Brotherhood group who were involved in firing ammunition, planting explosives and bombing some facilities," said Interior Minister Mohamed Ibrahim, who has overseen a bloody police crackdown targeting the Brotherhood.
Mr Ibrahim told a press conference that 20 people were killed on Sunday, most of them in Cairo's northern district of Matareya where clashes lasted more than 12 hours, adding two policemen were among the dead.
Three suspected militants also died when they mistakenly blew themselves up while planting explosives in the Nile Delta region, north of Cairo.
More than 1,400 people have been killed in a government crackdown targeting Morsi supporters, while over 15,000 have been imprisoned since he was ousted.
The Muslim Brotherhood has denied government accusations of involvement in attacks on security forces, mostly claimed by jihadist groups.
For its part, Human Rights Watch accused Egyptian police of using "excessive force" against protesters on Sunday.
The New York-based HRW called for "an independent investigation into the authorities' excessive use of force" to quell "apparently peaceful protests".
Mr Ibrahim dismissed HRW's criticism.
"This organization has never been objective in its reports," Ibrahim said, blaming the Muslim Brotherhood for Sunday's violence.
Tensions had surged ahead of the anniversary, and a female demonstrator was killed in clashes with police during a rare left-wing protest in Cairo on Saturday.
Shaima al-Sabbagh died of birdshot wounds when police fired to disperse a march, fellow protesters and HRW said.
An 18-year-old female protester was also killed on Friday in clashes in Alexandria.
Protesters and security forces clashed on Sunday after Islamists called for demonstrations against President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi's government as Egypt marked the fourth anniversary of the toppling of ex-strongman Hosni Mubarak.
Supporters of Mubarak's successor, Islamist Mohamed Morsi, have regularly clashed with security forces since he was ousted by then army chief al-Sisi in July 2013.
On Sunday, "we arrested 516 elements from the Muslim Brotherhood group who were involved in firing ammunition, planting explosives and bombing some facilities," said Interior Minister Mohamed Ibrahim, who has overseen a bloody police crackdown targeting the Brotherhood.
Mr Ibrahim told a press conference that 20 people were killed on Sunday, most of them in Cairo's northern district of Matareya where clashes lasted more than 12 hours, adding two policemen were among the dead.
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Three suspected militants also died when they mistakenly blew themselves up while planting explosives in the Nile Delta region, north of Cairo.
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More than 1,400 people have been killed in a government crackdown targeting Morsi supporters, while over 15,000 have been imprisoned since he was ousted.
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The Muslim Brotherhood has denied government accusations of involvement in attacks on security forces, mostly claimed by jihadist groups.
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For its part, Human Rights Watch accused Egyptian police of using "excessive force" against protesters on Sunday.
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The New York-based HRW called for "an independent investigation into the authorities' excessive use of force" to quell "apparently peaceful protests".
Mr Ibrahim dismissed HRW's criticism.
"This organization has never been objective in its reports," Ibrahim said, blaming the Muslim Brotherhood for Sunday's violence.
Tensions had surged ahead of the anniversary, and a female demonstrator was killed in clashes with police during a rare left-wing protest in Cairo on Saturday.
Shaima al-Sabbagh died of birdshot wounds when police fired to disperse a march, fellow protesters and HRW said.
An 18-year-old female protester was also killed on Friday in clashes in Alexandria.
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