Egypt's interim prez vows polls early 2014

Cairo (PTI): Egypt's interim leader has vowed fresh elections by early next year after deadly clashes between supporters of deposed President Mohammed Morsi and soldiers outside the army headquarters killed at least 54 people. Egypt's interim President Adly Mansour issued a constitutional declaration yesterday giving him limited power to make laws, and outlined a timetable for parliamentary and presidential elections, according to state media. Mansour issued the anticipated declaration that will remain effective until the end of the ongoing transitional period, which will last for least six months, according to the decree. The transitional period was started upon the issuing of the constitutional declaration last night and ends after the presidential elections, due next year. Parliamentary elections should take place during the transitional period before the presidential polls, the decree said. This means that elections would take place by early February at the latest. The moves by the interim president were clearly meant to appeal to supporters of the coup -- but unlikely to appease Morsi's supporters. Clashes between them and security forces killed 54 people yesterday, and wounded another 435. It was the deadliest day in Cairo since the revolution that forced former President Hosni Mubarak from office in 2011. The clash took place outside the Republican Guard headquarters, where 61-year-old toppled president is said to have been put "under guard". The army, in a statement, said "an armed terrorist group tried to storm" the Republican Guard compound and soldiers retaliated by firing. The statement said one army officer was killed and 40 soldiers were injured during the incident.Funerals for many of those killed were to be held amid fears that they could spark renewed violence. The Muslim Brotherhood said its members were fired on at a sit-in for ousted President Morsi.Morsi, an Islamist and Egypt's first freely elected leader, was removed from office by the army last week after mass protests.