1st LD: 11 killed in Egypt protests marking 4th uprising anniversary

Eleven people have been killed Sunday during protests across Egypt to mark the fourth anniversary of the January 2011 uprising, state-run Al-Ahram Arabic news website reported.

According to the newspaper's website, ministry of health announced the death of 11 people in clashes with security forces nationwide during demonstrations to observe the fourth anniversary of the revolution that toppled former president Hosni Mubarak.

At least 30 people and five policemen were also injured during the protests.

Members of the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood and the liberal April 6 groups have called for mass protests across Egypt to commemorate the anniversary.

In downtown Cairo, scores of socialist activists, including members of April 6 group, protested against the killing of political activist Shaimaa el-Sabbagh on Saturday during a march in downtown.

El-Sabbagh was marching with dozens members of the Socialist Popular Alliance Party to lay flowers in Tahrir square, the birthplace of the 2011 revolution.

Egypt marks January 25 as a national day as Mubarak was ousted on that day four years ago. The state was supposed to hold official celebration on Sunday but mourning the death of late Saudi King Abdullah led the country to cancel the event.

Mostly, Egyptians are divided over January 25 uprising, as some refer it as a popular revolt for change and democracy while others consider it a conspiracy to destabilize Egypt.

The 2011 popular uprising toppled Mubarak and brought the Muslim Brotherhood's Mohamed Morsi to office in 2012, but the former Islamist president was ousted by the military in July 2013 after mass protests against his one-year rule.

Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi, who led Morsi's removal as military chief then, made a statement on Saturday and referred to the anniversary of January 25 uprising as "a new torch for hope, progress and action." Endit