Egypt president's supporters, foes clash violently

CAIRO: Supporters and opponents of Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi lobbed Molotov cocktails and rocks at each other on Wednesday as their standoff turned violent near the presidential palace.

Gunshots could be heard as the fierce political rivals torched cars and set off fireworks, while bleeding protesters were carried away, AFP reporters said.

Earlier, supporters of Morsi tore down tents and forced opposition protesters to flee the presidential palace , as his deputy said a vote on a disputed constitution would go ahead in 10 days.

Skirmishes broke out after thousands of Islamists rallying to the call of
the Muslim Brotherhood bore down on the presidential palace, chanting that they would "cleanse" the area of the opposition demonstrators.

The two sides threw stones at each other before the secular-leaning
protesters, who had besieged the palace in their tens of thousands on Tuesday, escaped into side streets, an AFP photographer said.

Opponents of Morsi reject a November 22 presidential decree granting him sweeping new powers, and a draft constitution rushed through by an Islamist-dominated panel which will go to a referendum on December 15.