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Foreigners flee Egypt

Foreign governments began evacuating their nationals from Egypt Sunday amid a wave of jail breaks, killings and increasing lawlessness, as a bitter anti-government revolt raged into a sixth day.

Updated on: Jan 31, 2011, 24:36:28 IST
Agencies | By , Cairo
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Foreign governments began evacuating their nationals from Egypt Sunday amid a wave of jail breaks, killings and increasing lawlessness, as a bitter anti-government revolt raged into a sixth day.

HT Image
HT Image

Tourists, expatriates and anxious Egyptians crowded Cairo's airport seeking airline seats out of the country while the United States, Iraq and India said they were organising special flights for their nationals. At least two Egyptian fighter jets flew repeat low-altitude sorties over the protests in a deafening show of force. With fears of insecurity rising and a death toll of at least 125, thousands of convicts broke out prisons after they overwhelmed guards.

Vigilantes guard homes
Groups of club-carrying vigilantes have deployed on Cairo's streets to protect from looters amid growing insecurity as the Arab world's most populous nation faced an uncertain future. Youths handed over to the army those they suspected of looting, with the police who had been fighting running battles with stone-throwing protesters in the first days of the demonstrations hardly visible. Many petrol stations are now running out of fuel, and many bank cash machines have either been looted or are no longer working. Egyptian banks and the stock exchange have been ordered closed on Sunday.

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