Egyptian security forces stormed two massive makeshift camps filled with ousted President Mohamed Morsy'ssupporters, bulldozing tents and escorting away hundreds of protesters.
Within three hours of the raid, forces had cleared the smaller of the two camps -- the Nahda camp, near the Cairo University campus.
But the larger proest-- near the Rabaa al-Adawiya mosque in eastern Cairo -- has proven trickier, with forces facing heavy resistance. The military called in its special forces.
In the chaos of the raids, it was impossible for CNN to verify the claims and counter claims of casualties.The Muslim Brotherhood said 200 Morsy supporters were killed and more than 8,000 injured.
The Health Ministry said 15 protesters were killed and 203 wounded. It also said five security officials died and 29 others were injured while trying to trying to disperse the protesters.
The government blocked all roads leading to the Rabaa camp and suspended rail service to Cairo. The Muslim Brotherhood claimed the suspension was an attempt was to prevent more of its members from streaming into the city.
But throngs of Morsy supporters flooding a bridge leading to Rabaa al-Adawiya square on foot, video from state-run Nile TV showed. Some of the protesters clashed with with security forces.
president morsy's son
president morsy's son
The raids began around dawn at the two camps. Within three hours, all that remained at the Nahda camp were remnants of torn-down tents.
But it was a different story at Rabaa, where protester Hassan Al Qabana said demonstrators were facing a "full-on assault."
One of the main entrances to the Rabaa camp looked like a war zone. Bursts of gunfire pierced through the thick smoke and tear gas that filled the air. Some of the gunfire sounded like it came from automatic weapons.
Many cried or wailed, denouncing military leaders and pointing to bullet holes. Some of the injured -- or possibly dead -- were ushered away on stretchers to a makeshift clinic.
