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Militants Kill 24 Egyptian Police in Sinai Attack


The bodies of 24 Egyptian policemen ambushed and killed by suspected Islamist militants in the Sinai were given a hero's welcome Monday in Cairo.

Several television channels showed pictures of their flag-draped coffins carried by honor guards.

Hours before the Sinai ambush early Monday, police near Cairo killed 36 Islamist prisoners who allegedly tried to escape from custody. Egyptian officials say the prisoners were suffocated by tear gas.

The U.S. State Department is condemning all acts of violence in Egypt, but calls the prisoner deaths "suspicious." Spokeswoman Jen Psaki also said the U.S. believes all sides must be involved in moving Egypt forward.

The official death toll since the military overthrew President Mohamed Morsi on July 3 exceeds 1,000. The pro-Morsi Muslim Brotherhood puts it much higher.



Also Monday, a lawyer for former Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak said his client will soon be released. Fareed el-Deeb said a court has cleared Mr. Mubarak of charges that he and his sons stole public money for presidential palaces. Judicial sources have not confirmed the claim.

The 85-year-old Mr. Mubarak still faces a retrial on charges he failed to stop the killing of protesters during the popular revolt that swept him from power in 2011.
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