NU calls on Muslims to pray for Egypt

Jakarta, NU Online
General Chairman of the Central Board of Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) KH Said Aqil Siradj Thursday called on the Indonesian Muslims to pray for all those suffering the effects of the conflicting sides in Egypt by reciting the so-called qunut nazilah (an invocation read with the intention of seeking Allah's protection from a particular disaster or tragedy).<>

As reported by alalam.ir, at least 464 people were killed in nationwide violence sparked by a crackdown on the protest camps of supporters of ousted President Mohamed Morsi, government officials said Thursday.

At least 421 civilians died in Wednesday's violence, ministry spokesman Mohammed Fathallah said.

He said 137 people had been killed in the main Rabaa al-Adawiya camp which pro-Morsi protesters had occupied for weeks.

At the smaller of the two encampments in Nahda square, 57 people were killed and 227 died in the rest of the country, he said.

The interior ministry said 43 policemen had also been killed.

The Brotherhood remained defiant on Thursday, with spokesman Gehad al-Haddad saying demonstrations would continue.

"We will always be non-violent and peaceful. We remain strong, defiant and resolved," he tweeted.

"We will push forward until we bring down this military coup."

Morsi loyalists have insisted that their demonstrations are exclusively peaceful, but an AFP reporter saw several protesters carrying weapons at Rabaa on Wednesday.

The violence prompted vice president and Nobel laureate Mohamed ElBaradei to resign, saying he was troubled over the loss of life, "particularly as I believe it could have been avoided".

Reporting by Syafi' Alielha; Editing by Sudarto Murtaufiq