Egypt’s National Salvation Front Calls for Friday Gathering at Presidential Palace

The National Salvation Front (NSF), a coalition of primarily liberal and leftist political groups, called on Egyptian youth to rally on Friday at the Ittihadiya presidential palace in Cairo for Friday afternoon prayers and a collective iftar meal, Ahram Arabic website reported.

Similar calls have been made by the 30 June Front, the liberal Constitution Party, the leftist Egyptian Popular Current, the Rebel movement and others.

During the Islamic month of Ramadan, which began on Wednesday, Muslims are required to fast from dawn until dusk. Iftar is the first meal of the day, taking place immediately after sunset

The NSF has repeatedly urged protesters to continue demonstrating to “protect the achievements of 30 June,” the date of mass demonstrations that ultimately led to the Egyptian military’s removal of Muslim Brotherhood president Mohamed Morsi and a subsequent constitutional declaration by interim president Adli Mansour. The declaration includes a roadmap with constitutional amendments followed by parliamentary and presidential elections.

Meanwhile, the Brotherhood-led National Alliance to Support Legitimacy released a statement on Wednesday calling for a Friday million-man march in Cairo to demand Morsi’s reinstatement.

The alliance, which also includes several other Islamist groups, went on to reiterate its rejection of last week’s “coup against democratic legitimacy,” in reference to Morsi’s ouster.

For the last 13 days, pro-Morsi demonstrators have maintained a sizeable sit-in outside the Rabaa Al-Adawiya Mosque in Cairo’s Nasr City district.

Clashes between Morsi supporters and the army on Monday at the Republican Guards headquarters in Cairo left at least 51 civilians dead and 435 injured, as well as one solider dead and 42 soldiers injured.

Source:Al-Ahram Online