20110210
presstv
The Egyptian military has sent large column of tanks, supported by 30,000-strong-mechanized infantry to the streets in Cairo, preparing for massive crackdown on Friday's "Day of Massive Protest March."

The Egyptian army has been deployed in force in the capital Cairo on the 17th day of revolution in the North African country, a Press TV correspondent reported Thursday.

The army has visibly beefed up security in the streets leading to Nasr City and New Egypt districts as pro-democracy protesters continue to call for an immediate end to President Hosni Mubarak's 30-year rule.

The army is deployed to suppress revolution as the nation prepares for another planned million-man march by the opposition on Friday.

Security has been tight around government buildings, including the presidential palace, state television and the Ministry of Intelligence in Cairo.

Tanks and armored vehicles line the streets around Liberation Square, which has been the heart of the Egyptian revolution for the past two weeks.

There are speculations that the government plans to block roads leading to Cairo to prevent another million-man march in the capital.

Organizers called for a new "protest of millions" for Friday similar to those that have drawn the largest crowds so far.

To defy the threats, the organizers have changed tactics, calling for several pro-democracy protests across Cairo instead of only in Liberation Square, said Khaled Abdel-Hamid, a member of Egypt Revolution Youth Movement.

The main opposition group, the Muslim Brotherhood, earlier revealed the regime of the embattled Mubarak intends to crack down on Friday's planned massive rallies.

According to the Muslim Brotherhood, some 30,000 security forces will be deployed to prevent any pro-democracy protests in Liberation Square.

Thousands of protesters camped overnight in the streets in Cairo, near the parliament building, the site of a massive march on Wednesday.

Pro-democracy protesters blocked roads and railways connecting the northern part of the country to the south on Thursday.

Reports say the protesters set fire to tires placed across the main motorway that goes from Cairo to Assiut, 350 kilometers south of Cairo.

Around 8,000 protesters, mainly farmers, took to the streets in Assiut, and used wooden planks and bricks to block the railway line.

More than 3,000 railway workers went on strike to put more pressure on Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak to resign.