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Egypt's military says elections will go ahead
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The Associated Press
Egypt's military rulers say parliamentary elections next week will proceed on schedule despite spreading protests.
The Supreme Military Council also rejected demands that it immediately step down, saying Thursday that would be a "betrayal" of the people's trust.
The military has apologized for the deaths of protesters in Tahrir Square and in cities outside Cairo since last weekend.
In a message on Facebook, the ruling generals say they "regret the deaths of martyrs … from among Egypt's loyal sons."
Nearly 40 people have been killed since Saturday morning in the worst violence since Hosni Mubarak was overthrown as president in February.
The apology is another attempt by the military council to get the protesters to end their demonstrations, which have resulted in violent clashes with security forces just days before democratic elections start Monday.
The voting will take place over months and conclude in March.
Earlier Thursday, police and protesters agreed to a truce negotiated by Muslim clerics after five days of fierce street battles.
The CBC's Sasa Petricic, reporting from Cairo, said protesters are using the truce to establish a larger presence in Tahrir Square, and there is an expectation of a large and possibly violent confrontation to come.
"Friday is the day when after mosque, many, many people come out to make their voices heard."
Egypt's Interior Ministry had requested a delay in the election, because it said police could not guarantee security. But the military insisted the election proceed, which is likely to prove beneficial to the Muslim Brotherhood, the front-runner in the election, said Petricic.
"That party was concerned that if the elections were postponed, that a divisive dynamic could take place and they might not get the kind of votes they expect on Monday."
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