Egypt Clashes: Hillary Clinton Condemns 'Shocking' Incidents

Clinton Condemns 'Horrific Abuse' In Tahrir Clashes

(Adds diplomatic comment on military aid)

* Troops, police try again to drive protesters from Tahrir

* Clinton condemns "shocking" attack on woman protester

* Army general blames unrest on "evil forces"

By Marwa Awad and Alexander Dziadosz

CAIRO, Dec 20 (Reuters) - Egyptian police and soldiersfiring guns and teargas fought to clear protesters from Cairo'sTahrir Square on Tuesday, the fifth day of clashes that havekilled 13 people and drawn a stinging rebuke from U.S. Secretaryof State Hillary Clinton.

Clinton condemned as "particularly shocking" incidents suchas one in which two Egyptian soldiers were filmed dragging awoman protester on the ground by her shirt, exposing herunderwear, then clubbing and kicking her.

"Women are being beaten and humiliated in the same streetswhere they risked their lives for the revolution only a fewshort months ago," America's top diplomat said in a speech atWashington's Georgetown University on Monday.

The United States, which saw Egypt as a staunch ally in theera of deposed leader Hosni Mubarak, gives Cairo $1.3 billion ayear in military aid.

Clinton's remarks ratchet up pressure on the army butWestern diplomats said it was unlikely Washington would use themilitary aid as political leverage, at least for now.

Clinton said women had been mostly shut out ofdecision-making by Egypt's ruling military and by big politicalparties.

"Women protesters have been rounded up and subjected tohorrific abuse. Journalists have been sexually assaulted. Andnow, women are being attacked, stripped, and beaten in thestreets," she added.

"This systematic degradation of Egyptian women dishonoursthe revolution, disgraces the state and its uniform and is notworthy of a great people."

Her remarks were among the strongest criticism of Egypt'snew rulers by U.S. officials.

General Adel Emara, a member of Egypt's army council thattook over after Mubarak was overthrown in February, said onMonday the attack on the woman protester was an isolatedincident that was under investigation.

"HITLER'S INCINERATORS"

Gunfire rang out across Tahrir Square at dawn as securityforces charged hundreds of protesters attempting to hold theirground, activists and a Reuters journalist at the scene said.

After a night of clashes, hundreds of protesters demandingan immediate end to army rule were in Tahrir in the morning.

Medical sources say 13 people have been killed and hundredswounded in the violence that began on Friday in Tahrir andnearby streets leading to parliament and the cabinet office.

Army generals and their advisers have condemned thepro-democracy protesters, sometimes in extraordinarily harshterms.

"What is your feeling when you see Egypt and its historyburn in front of you?" retired general Abdel Moneim Kato, anarmy adviser, told al-Shorouk daily, referring to a governmentarchive building set alight during clashes. "Yet you worry abouta vagrant who should be burnt in Hitler's incinerators."

General Emara said "evil forces" wanted to sow chaos andthat soldiers had shown "self-restraint" despite provocation.

"What is happening does not belong with the revolution andits pure youth, who never wanted to bring down this nation," hesaid. Despite the actions of the security forces in Tahrir,Emara denied that the army had given orders to clear the square.

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has criticised the use of"excessive" force by the Egyptian authorities. Rights groupssaid suppliers should not send small arms to Egypt.

The flare-up has also marred a staggered parliamentaryelection that began on Nov. 28 and ends on Jan. 11, but the armyhas said a promised transition to civilian rule will go ahead.

Results so far suggest the once-banned Muslim Brotherhoodand hard-line Salafi Islamists will dominate the lower house.

VIOLENCE IN TAHRIR

Before the latest charge by the security forces in Tahrir,protesters had been trying to tear down a brick wall the armyhad put up to block access to parliament, located nearby.

"Hundreds of state security forces and the army entered thesquare and began firing heavily. They chased protesters andburned anything in their way, including medical supplies andblankets," said a protester who gave his name only as Ismail.

"Some of those who fell had gunshot wounds to the legs," headded, speaking by telephone from Tahrir.

Politicians and members of parliament who had been staging asit-in nearby tried to enter the square but were forced to turnback as the gunfire and clashes raged on, Ismail said.

The violent crackdown has alarmed rights groups. AmnestyInternational urged arms suppliers to stop sending small armsand ammunition to Egypt's military and security forces.

Reporters Without Borders complained of the army's"systematic use of violence against media personnel".

Many Egyptians want to focus on building democraticinstitutions, not street activism, but have nevertheless beenshocked by the tactics of security forces in and around Tahrir.

The latest violence broke out just after the second stage ofa six-week election for Egypt's new parliament that starts aslow countdown to the army's return to barracks. The militaryhas pledged to hand power to an elected president by July.

Hard-core activists have camped in Tahrir since a protestagainst army rule on Nov. 18, which was sparked by thearmy-backed cabinet's proposals to permanently shield themilitary from civilian oversight in the new constitution. A weekof mayhem killed 42 people. (Additional reporting by Shaimaa Fayed and Dina Zayed; Writingby Edmund Blair; Editing by Alistair Lyon)

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