The military prosecution started to interrogate over 170 who were detained for suspected involvement in the bloody clashes that broke out on Friday in front of the Ministry of Defence, located in Cairo's Abbasiya area, according to a military source.

The source, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to speak to the media, was quoted by Al-Ahram's Arabic site as saying the suspects had been arrested after assaulting military officers and soldiers deployed to secure the ministry's perimeter.

The ruling Supreme Council of Armed Forces (SCAF) issued, in a televised statement Friday night, a curfew in the Abbasiya area between Friday 11pm and Saturday 7am, after clashes between protesters and military police which, according to the Egyptian Ambulance Organization, saw at least 373 injured and one soldier dead.

The military council said groups attacked the army outside of their headquarters earlier that afternoon.

Egypt's military police began at 3:30pm (CMT) firing water cannons at protesters, who were also throwing stones at military personnel shortly after thousands-strong marches reached the army headquarters, in protest of the ruling military council.

It remains unclear which side initiated the fight.