Egypt Sentences 59 Brotherhood Suspects Over 2013 Protest

Egyptian security forces round up suspected protesters after a deadly 2013 operation to disperse a six-week sit-in in the capital's Rabaa al-Adaweya Square Engy Imad ENGY IMAD/AFP/File
Egyptian security forces round up suspected protesters after a deadly 2013 operation to disperse a six-week sit-in in the capital's Rabaa al-Adaweya Square Engy Imad ENGY IMAD/AFP/File
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Egypt Sentences 59 Brotherhood Suspects Over 2013 Protest

Egyptian security forces round up suspected protesters after a deadly 2013 operation to disperse a six-week sit-in in the capital's Rabaa al-Adaweya Square Engy Imad ENGY IMAD/AFP/File
Egyptian security forces round up suspected protesters after a deadly 2013 operation to disperse a six-week sit-in in the capital's Rabaa al-Adaweya Square Engy Imad ENGY IMAD/AFP/File

An Egyptian court sentenced 59 suspected members of the Muslim Brotherhood to 15 years in prison on Thursday over the 2013 Rabaa al-Adawiya protest.

Seven other defendants were handed five-year sentences following the latest mass trial in the government's crackdown on the former ruling party, now blacklisted as a terror group.

The court acquitted 29 of the accused.

The charges related to a nearly six-week-long sit-in in the capital's Rabaa al-Adaweya Square was triggered by the overthrow of former president Mohamed Morsi.

The charges in the Rabaa trial included organizing or participating in the sit-in, blocking roads and the murder of security personnel ordered to disperse the protest.



Militants Killed and Wounded in Eastern Syria, Media and War Monitor Say

The Observatory said the strikes targeted headquarters and warehouses in the city of Deir Ezzor and surrounding towns. (AFP via Getty Images file)
The Observatory said the strikes targeted headquarters and warehouses in the city of Deir Ezzor and surrounding towns. (AFP via Getty Images file)
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Militants Killed and Wounded in Eastern Syria, Media and War Monitor Say

The Observatory said the strikes targeted headquarters and warehouses in the city of Deir Ezzor and surrounding towns. (AFP via Getty Images file)
The Observatory said the strikes targeted headquarters and warehouses in the city of Deir Ezzor and surrounding towns. (AFP via Getty Images file)

A number of militants were killed and wounded in eastern Syria early Sunday near a strategic border crossing with Iraq in apparent airstrikes, pro-government media and an opposition war monitor reported.

Pan-Arab television network Al-Mayadeen cited unnamed sources saying that at least eight Syrians were killed in the strike by the Bou Kamal crossing in Israeli airstrikes.

It was unclear how they confirmed Israeli jets were behind the strikes.

Meanwhile, Britain-based opposition war monitor the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said five airstrikes killed at least 15 militants, among them leaders, and wounded at least 20 others. The Observatory said the strikes targeted headquarters and warehouses in the city of Deir Ezzor and surrounding towns.

Pro-government radio station Sham FM said that prior to the blasts heard in Deir Ezzor, explosions were heard at a US military base in northeastern Syria following rocket and drone attacks.

None of the reports could be independently verified.

The US military’s Central Command, which has launched airstrikes on Iranian military personnel and Tehran-backed militant groups in Syria’s eastern Deir Ezzor province, didn’t immediately return a request for comment.

The Israeli military doesn’t usually acknowledge its strike on Syria. However, when it does so, it says it targets Iran-backed militants.