Civil unrest breaks out in Aswan

On 23 November 2008 civil unrest broke out in the town of Aswan, located approximately 450 mi/725 km south of Cairo in southern Egypt, as approximately 2,000 people took to the streets to protest the shooting death of a local resident on the previous day. Authorities alleged that the victim was a drug dealer, but the protesters claimed that he was a bird-seller who was not involved in any illegal activities. Angry residents gathered outside the hospital where the victim's body was taken and then threw rocks at police officers in the vicinity; residents also burned tires to block roads. At least four people were injured when security forces clashed with protesters and fired tear gas to disperse the crowd. The violence appears to have been contained, and no reports of additional incidents have emerged as of 24 November.