343 killed in Egypt's clashes

CAIRO - At least 343 people were killed across Egypt in clashes between supporters of ousted President Mohamed Morsi and the security troops, after the latter dispersed on Wednesday two pro-Morsi sit-in sites in the country, the Interior Ministry said Thursday.

The announced death toll has risen by over 100 after Wednesday evening's figure given by the Health Ministry showed at least 235 people were killed and over 2,000 injured in the nationwide clashes.

The Health Ministry said late Wednesday that 43 policemen were killed in the confrontations.

The Egyptian security forces started Wednesday dawn the cleaning-up operation at Rabaa al-Adawiya Square in Cairo's Nasr City and Nahda Square in Giza. The pro-Morsi protesters had been sitting in there for some 45 days.