Clashes in Egypt's capital Cairo between protesters and security forces entered their third day on Monday and have left 22 people dead and hundreds wounded.

Protestors can be seen outside the country's interior ministry calling for Egypt's ruling generals to step down.

The violence erupted on Friday after police forces attempted to break up a sit in in Tahrir Square, an area that has been a major rallying point since the January uprising that saw the ouster of former president Hosni Mubarak.

Protestors have been resisting moves by the security forces to evacuate them from Tahrir Square and the clashes have proved to be deadly.

The police has used brutal force in dealing with the demonstrators who have in turn been hurling stones from broken pavement as well as firebombs at law enforcement personnel. Police continue to hold a line around the Interior Ministry and fire tear gas canisters at protestors.

Ahmed Sultan, a protestor, says the government and the ruling military council has ignored their demands.

"These people here are being ignored, and crimes are being committed on Mohamed Mahmoud street [near the Interior Ministry] for two days and are still happening... The Military Council hasn't said anything, and the Cabinet hasn't said anything, and they are praising the role played by the Interior Ministry, saying 'thank you very much'. So we will stay here until we take our country back," said Ahmed.

Another protester, Hazem Mahmoud, said the military should have handed over power to a civilian administration a long time ago.

The violence has cast doubt over the elections for a new parliament which are just a week away. The military has said they have no plans to postpone the elections nor are they interested in clinging on to power.

Voting is expected to start on Nov. 28, however once an assembly has been elected the army will continue to remain in power, until a presidential poll, which may not happen until late 2012 or early 2013.

By: Nadia Idriss Mayen
Al Arabiya with Agencies

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