Violent clashes have erupted between pro-Muslim Brotherhood protesters and Egyptian police inside Cairo's al-Azhar University, security sources say.


This comes after Egyptian riot police fired tear gas and used stun grenades to disperse students protesting against the military-backed government on Wednesday.

Reports coming from Egypt say clashes are still underway between security forces and students. The protesters managed to take their march outside the university campus and blocked a main road as they chanted slogans against the military-installed government.

Angry protesters also demanded the release of political detainees.

For weeks the students have been demonstrating at the country's top institution for Islamic teachings against the army's move to oust the country's first democratically-elected president, Mohammad Morsi, in early July.

The head of al-Azhar University had called on the police forces to enter campus grounds.

The developments come as demonstrations by Morsi's supporters against the government are still being held across Egypt despite the interim authorities’ efforts to widen crackdown on Morsi backers.

The interim government took power after Morsi was ousted by the army on July 3.

Egypt's interim government has arrested more than 2,000 Muslim Brotherhood members, including the party’s leader, Mohamed Badie, who was detained on August 20.

The fresh wave of demonstrations come ahead of Morsi’s trial next week. He is due to stand trial on November 4 on charges of inciting violence. Morsi has been held in an unknown location since his overthrow.

Hundreds of Muslim Brotherhood supporters have been killed in clashes with army over the past few months.