Egypt's Morsi orders curfew, state of emergency

CAIRO - Egypt's President Mohamed Morsi imposed Sunday a curfew and a state of emergency in the turmoil- stricken Port Said governorate, as well as Suez and Ismailia, due to the ongoing bloody clashes there.

"I asserted earlier that if I had to, I would take any extraordinary measures to stop bloodshed, preserve security and protect the citizens," Morsi said in a televised speech Sunday evening, adding that the curfew in the three governorates would last 30 days, starting from 9:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. of the following day.

Over the past few days, the three governorates witnessed bloody confrontations between protesters and security forces.

On Saturday, at least 31 were killed and over 300 injured in clashes between police and angry mob in Port Said, after a court ruled the execution of 21 convicts in a local soccer riot that killed 74 early last year.

Besides, seven have been killed and over 630 injured so far on Sunday, also in Port Said, during a mass funeral for the victims of Saturday's clashes.

Meanwhile, eight were killed in Suez and one in Ismailia Friday in the similar clashes between protesters and security forces.