Al-Azhar University student supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood and deposed President Mohamed Morsi make the four-finger Rabaa gesture as they hold tear gas canisters during clashes with riot police and residents of the area at the Al-Azhar University campus in Cairo's Nasr City district December 28, 2013 (Photo: Reuters)
Clashes erupted Sunday on Al-Azhar University's all-male campus between students supporting former president Mohamed Morsi, who are calling on others to boycott exams, and security forces.
The clashes took place in front of the Faculty of Commerce where end of semester exams, scheduled to start on 28 December, were postponed after a fire broke out in the main faculty building amid ongoing clashes. On Sunday, security forces stormed the campus to ensure exams proceed uninterrupted in other faculties.
Students also marked the death of one of their colleagues in clashes Thursday with funeral prayers.
On Saturday, pro-Morsi students refused to allow other students on campus to attend the first day of exams.
Al-Ahram's Arabic news website reported that security forces used tear gas to disperse students in front of the university.
On Saturday, a security source told the same source that a total of 101 pro-Muslim Brotherhood students were arrested in the clashes, allegedly possessing firearms, Molotov cocktails, fireworks and bags of nails.
The source added that security forces succeeded in calming the situation and that exams were smoothly taking place across all faculties at the university.
In an attempt to disrupt exams, students on the female campus on Saturday gathered in front of the faculties of dentistry, pharmacy and Islamic studies, chanting slogans against the military and the Ministry of Interior, and demanding the release of all detained students while calling for other students to boycott exams.
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