Islamic Egyptian government can not bring peace to country, violence flares in Cairo two years after uprising. ( Breaking News )

Reuters has more details on the overnight clashes between youths and police in Tahrir Square ahead of the second anniversary of the uprising.

On the second anniversary of the uprising that swept former president Hosni Mubarak from power, opponents of his successor, Mohammed Morsi, plan a major rally on the square later on Friday accusing the Islamist leader of betraying the revolution. Morsi’s Muslim Brotherhood party has not called for its own rallies but plans to mark the revolution by launching charitable and social initiatives.

The agency says the square was calm by daybreak but more violence was expected as opponents of president Mohamed Morsi mass later in the day to revive the demands of a revolution they say has been betrayed by the Islamists.

But before dawn there were pitched battles between police and protesters “who threw petrol bombs and firecrackers as they tried to approach a wall blocking access to government buildings near the square”, Reuters said. “Plumes of teargas fired by the police filled the air.”

At one point, “riot police used one of the incendiaries thrown at them to set ablaze at least two tents erected by the youths”. The health ministry said 16 people had been wounded.

“The people want to bring down the regime,” declared banners in the square. “Save Egypt from the rule of the Supreme Guide,” said another, a reference to the leader of the Muslim Brotherhood, Mohamed Badie.

Shadi Hamid, director of research at the Brookings Doha Center, said the Brotherhood was:

” Very concerned about escalation, that’s why they have tried to dial down their role on January 25. There may very well be the kinds of clashes that we’ve seen before, but I don’t see anything major happening that is going to fundamentally change the political situation. ”

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