Egyptian army soldier Samir Anwar Samir became the first confirmed fatality of Friday's Abbasiya clashes after succumbing to a gunshot wound to the stomach, said Ahmed El-Ansary, head of the Egyptian Ambulance Organization who also confirmed the injury toll has risen to 373.

Tahrir Doctors, a group of medical doctors who voluntarily aid those injured at protests, stated on their official site that at least two had died at the Zahara Hospital in the Abbasiya area, Cairo, due to gunshot wounds. Two more at the same hospital, according to the statement, are in critical condition after being shot too.

Samir, a special forces soldier, was pronounced dead at the Zahara Hospital as well, according to El-Ansary.

Tahrir Doctors did not identify in their statement the two alleged victims. Thus, it remains unclear whether or not Samir is one of them.

The Ministry of Health is expected to confirm the death toll soon.

Earlier in the day, a military source told Al-Ahram's Arabic website that the Egyptian army had not used live ammunition on protesters.

Commenting on the injured, El-Ansary says some 208 were rushed to different hospitals as the other 165 were treated instantly in the street.

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 Ministry of Defence's headquarters, in a protest against the ruling military council.

The military council says groups attacked the army outside the Ministry of Defence's headquarters in Abbasiya earlier that afternoon.

It remains unclear which side initiated the battle.