Egypt’s opposition Islamist coalition denounced on Wednesday a call by Defense Minister General Abdel Fattah al-Sisi for mass demonstration to grant him a mandate to confront “terrorism” as “a declaration of civil war.”
“Sisi’s threats are a declaration of civil war,” said the Muslim Brotherhood-led coalition which has been demanding President Mohammad Mursi’s reinstatement ever since his overthrow in July 3.
It warned of the danger of “massacres committed under a false popular cover.” Nearly 170 people have died in political unrest in Egypt since the end of June, according to an AFP tally, many of them in clashes between Mursi’s supporters and opponents.
Sisi’s address came just hours after a blast in front of a police station in Mansura in the Nile Delta, which Mohamed Sultan, head of the emergency services, told AFP left “28 wounded and one dead.”
The interior ministry said in a statement that a conscript was killed in the blast.
Senior Muslim Brotherhood politician Essam al-Erian earlier said in Facebook post that the army’s call for rallies on Friday is a threat and will not stop pro-Mursi protests, also planned on Friday.
“Your threat will not stop the millions from continuing together,” El-Erian wrote on his Facebook page on Wednesday, calling Sisi “a coup leader who kills women, children and those at prayer.”
Moderate Islamist figure and former presidential candidate Abdel Moneim Abol Fotouh said urged the military to row back for the sake of peace.
“That call could lead to civil unrest, God forbid, in light of the opposing mobilization,” the Strong Egypt party said in statement, adding that it had listened to General Sisi’s appeal for demonstrations with “deep concern.”
Supporters of deposed Mursi, already camped out in a Cairo suburb in protest at his removal, have also called for protests for Friday.