UN secretary general Ban Ki-moon condemns Egypt violence

Secretary-General of the United Nations Ban Ki-moon has strongly condemned Wednesday's police assault on civilians in Egypt in a violent move to disperse the two main pro-Morsi sit-ins in capital Cairo's Rabaa al-Adawiya Square and Giza's Nahda Square.   "While the UN is still gathering precise information about today's events, it appears that hundreds of people were killed or wounded in clashes between security forces and demonstrators," Ban said in a statement. Secretary-General previously renewed his call for all sides in Egypt to reconsider their actions in light of new political realities and the imperative to prevent further loss of life. "The Secretary-General regrets that Egyptian authorities chose instead to use force to respond to the ongoing demonstrations," the statement said. Ban conveyed his condolences to the families of those killed and his wishes for a full and speedy recovery to those injured. Vast majority of the Egyptian people want their country to go forward peacefully in an Egyptian-led process towards prosperity and democracy, said the Secretary-General. "In the aftermath of today's violence, the Secretary-General urges all Egyptians to concentrate their efforts on promoting genuinely inclusive reconciliation. While recognizing that political clocks do not run backwards, the Secretary-General also believes firmly that violence and incitement from any side are not the answers to the challenges Egypt faces," the statement said. According to medics and eyewitnesses, at least 163 people were killed and thousands injured during the dispersal of the two protest sites. The Egyptian Ambulance Organization, however, has put the death toll in the two squares at 56.