12 dead, more wounded as Egyptian violence continues

A bomb blast early Wednesday Cairo time in front of a police station in the northern Egyptian city of Mansoura wounded 16 people, including five police officers, according to security officials. The blast comes less than a day after clashes in Cairo between opposing political factions left 12 dead. The overall death toll since the ouster of President Mohamed Morsi by the Egyptian military now stands at over 100.

Police forces surrounded the station after the explosion and exchanged fire with unidentified gunmen inside, officials told the Associated Press. No further details were immediately available.

The blast followed a clash Monday between Morsi's supporters and opponents that left 12 dead and 19 injured, according to the restive nation’s interior ministry.

The latest violence broke out before dawn on Tuesday near a Muslim Brotherhood protest at Cairo University, where Morsi supporters have been camped out since the army removed the Islamist politician from power on July 30, following protests against his rule.

The Brotherhood issued a statement on its website Tuesday, condemning the violence.

“After yet another heinous and bloody massacre of innocent unarmed pro-democracy pro-Morsi demonstrators, the Brotherhood hopes Egypt’s military will stop the fascist approach and let the march of genuine democratic transformation continue,” the statement read.

At least three people died in clashes in Tahrir Square, the focal point of national unrest, on Monday. One of those killed died on the outskirts of the square, where several anti-Morsi demonstrations have been held. Earlier in the day, Adly Mansour, Egypt's interim president, renewed appeals for reconciliation with the Brotherhood.

The Brotherhood’s legal council said Tuesday that more than 600 members of the group had been detained since Morsi's ouster, independent Egyptian newspaper Al-Masry Al-Youm reported.  A member of the Brotherhood’s legal defense committee, Mohktar al-Ashry, told the newspaper that three Brotherhood members had been arrested while receiving medical care, following the clashes in Tahrir Monday.

The Muslim Brotherhood has staged daily protests across the country since Morsi was deposed demanding his reinstatement.

Some 100 people have died in violence since Morsi's removal. More than half were killed in a clash between Morsi supporters and the military outside the Republican Guard headquarters in Cairo on July 8.

Human Rights Watch (HRW) reported Tuesday that Egyptian Christians have been targeted by a series of violent attacks.

In one incident on July 5, four Christians were reportedly beaten to death inside their home in the southern village of Naga Hassan, HRW said.

Al Jazeera and wire services