Rabaa massacre

Rabaa massacre
Part of the Post-coup unrest in Egypt (2013–2014)
Rabaa el-Adaweya Square during the dispersal of the pro-Morsi sit-in
LocationRabaa El Adawiya, Nasr City, Cairo, Egypt
DateAugust 14, 2013 (2013-08-14)
TargetPro-Morsi demonstrators:
  • Muslim Brotherhood[1]
  • National Coalition for Supporting Legitimacy[2]
  • Unaffiliated protesters[3]
DeathsEstimates vary
  • Human Rights Watch: 904–1,000+ protesters[4][5]
817 at Rabaa Square
87 at al-Nahda Square
  • Egypt's National Council for Human Rights: 632 killed[6][7]
624 protesters
8 police officers
  • Health Ministry: 638 killed[8]
595 protesters
43 police officers
  • National Coalition for Supporting Legitimacy: 2,600 deaths[9]
InjuredAt least 3,994 injured[8]
PerpetratorsEgyptian Security Forces
MotiveProtest dispersal

On 14 August 2013, the Egyptian police and to a lesser extent the armed forces, under the command of then-Defense Minister Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, used lethal force to clear two camps of protesters in Cairo. For six weeks, the two sites, at Rabaa al-Adawiya Square and al-Nahda Square, had been occupied by supporters of President Mohamed Morsi, who had been overthrown by a military coup the prior month following mass protests against his rule. Initiatives to end the six-week sit-ins by peaceful means had failed. The camps were cleared out within hours.[10]

Human Rights Watch (HRW) described the sit-in dispersals as crimes against humanity, and called them "one of the world's largest killings of demonstrators in a single day in recent history", in reference to the numerous deaths that occurred.[11]

The exact death toll during the incident is unclear, and multiple sources have given conflicting estimates. HRW stated that 817 were killed by government forces in Rabaa Square and 87 in al-Nahda Square.[12] The Egyptian Health Minisand's figures were 595 protesters and 43 police officers killed, and 3,994 injured.[8][13][14] However, The Forensic Medical Authority stated that the number of police officers killed was only eight.[15] Egypt's National Council for Human Rights stated that at least 624 civilians were killed.[6] The Muslim Brotherhood and the National Coalition for Supporting Legitimacy stated the number of deaths from the Rabaa al-Adawiya Mosque sit-in alone was about 2,600.[9][16] The total casualty count made 14 August the deadliest day in Egypt since the 2011 Egyptian revolution which toppled former President Hosni Mubarak.[17]

Several world leaders denounced the deadly violence during the sit-in dispersion. However, the sit-in, before it was dispersed, was coupled with widespread violent acts of retaliation by the Islamist groups targeting government security personnel and churches in several cities across Egypt. The interim government declared a three-month-long state of emergency and curfews were enforced in many cities.

  1. ^ "Morsi supporters end brief sit-in outside High Court in Cairo". Al-Ahram. 12 August 2013. Archived from the original on 15 August 2013. Retrieved 24 August 2013.
  2. ^ "Islamist forces join together for Rabaa Al-Adaweya protest". Daily News Egypt. 28 June 2013. Archived from the original on 4 July 2013. Retrieved 29 June 2013.
  3. ^ "Egypt at a bleak crossroads". 18 August 2013. Archived from the original on 27 August 2013. Retrieved 24 August 2013.
  4. ^ "Egypt's Rabaa massacre: one year on". Daily News Egypt. 16 August 2014. Archived from the original on 19 March 2015. Retrieved 6 February 2015.
  5. ^ "Egypt: Rabaa Killings Likely Crimes against Humanity". Human Rights Watch. 12 August 2014. Archived from the original on 16 August 2014. Retrieved 15 August 2014.
  6. ^ a b "Arab rights body calls for halt to execution of 12 Muslim Brotherhood members".
  7. ^ "Egyptian report blames both Islamists, security forces for violence". Los Angeles Times. 17 March 2014.
  8. ^ a b c Cite error: The named reference DeathToll-16-8-13 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  9. ^ a b "Egypt's Brotherhood to hold 'march of anger'". Al Jazeera. 16 August 2013. Archived from the original on 16 August 2013. Retrieved 18 August 2013.
  10. ^ "Rabaa Al-Adawiyah Mosque Destroyed in Cairo Clashes". HuffPost. 15 August 2013. Archived from the original on 15 August 2013. Retrieved 17 August 2013.
  11. ^ "Egypt: Rab'a Killings Likely Crimes against Humanity". Human Rights Watch. 12 August 2014. Archived from the original on 16 August 2014. Retrieved 15 August 2014.
  12. ^ "All According to Plan". Human Rights Watch. 17 August 2013. Archived from the original on 19 July 2015. Retrieved 15 August 2014.
  13. ^ "Death toll from Egypt violence rises to 638: Health ministry". Al-Ahram. 15 August 2013. Archived from the original on 16 August 2013. Retrieved 19 August 2013.
  14. ^ Kirkpatrick, David D. (15 August 2013). "Islamists Debate Their Next Move in Tense Cairo". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 17 August 2013. Retrieved 19 August 2013.
  15. ^ "Reference at www.middleeasteye.net". Middle East Eye.
  16. ^ "NSF spokesman quits over Rabaa, Nahda massacres". World Bulletin. 14 August 2013. Archived from the original on 2 October 2013. Retrieved 18 August 2013.
  17. ^ Hauslohner, Abigail; Sharaf al-Hourani (14 August 2013). "Scores dead in Egypt after security forces launch assault on protesters' camp". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on 15 August 2013. Retrieved 14 August 2013.
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