Bloodshed as Egypt police disperse Cairo sit-ins

Smoke and fire during the operation in Rabaa al-Adawiya Square Members of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt said more than 250 people were killed as Egyptian authorities attempted to clear protest camps set up by supporters of ousted president Mohammed Morsi, in Cairo. The group's media spokesperson Gehad el-Heddad tweeted: "250+ confirmed deaths. Drs saying most critical patients will die from their bullet wounds. over 5000 wounded. biggest massacre since #coup"
Egyptian authorities disputed the figure with an official telling state TV that only five people had been killed in the crackdown.
The interior ministry, on the other hand, said 200 Morsi supporters had been arrested, adding that security forces used only tear gas to disperse the demonstrators in Nahda and Rabaa al-Adawiya squares. It confirmed that two members of the security forces were killed on Wednesday morning.
The Associated Press reported that forces managed to clear the smaller protest camp, set up in Nahda Square.
Meanwhile, Egyptian authorities stopped all train services in and out of Cairo to prevent Morsi supporters from reassembling after being dispersed from the protest camps.
"Train services in and out of Cairo in all directions have been stopped until further notice... for security reasons and to prevent people from mobilising," the railway authority said.
Earlier, an AFP correspondent who counted 15 bodies at a makeshift morgue at the Rabaa al-Adawiya camp said many of them appeared to have died from gunshot wounds.
The BBC reported that security forces were using armoured cars and bulldozers to clear the protests, while al-Jazeera reported protesters saying snipers were firing at them from the roofs of military buildings in Rabaa al-Adawiya.  
Police have cut off side streets and gunfire has been heard, and teargas is reported to have been used against protesters.
The interior ministry on Wednesday morning warned that security forces would move to disperse both camps, but added that it wanted to avoid bloodshed and would provide a safe exit to protesters not wanted by prosecution.
Authorities in Egypt have issued several warnings to the Islamist demonstrators to end the protests, and on Sunday police officials said security forces would besiege the two camps within 24 hours.