Dozens of people were killed and hundreds injured when gunmen opened fire at a demonstration in the Egyptian capital Cairo in support of ousted Islamist President Mohamed Morsi on Monday.

The Egyptian Health Ministry put the number of dead at 42 and the number of injured at over 300, local media reported. The Muslim Brotherhood has claimed the numbers involved are much higher, while the Egyptian Army has said they are lower, RIA Novosti informs.

Muslim Brotherhood protesters had camped out for days near a compound run by the Republican Guard, part of the Egyptian Army, where they believe Morsi, who was ousted by the Army on July 3, is being held, international media reported.

Early on Monday, gunmen opened fire amid the crowds, leaving scores dead and many more injured.

The Muslim Brotherhood is reported in local and international media as claiming that the Army and Police opened fire on peaceful protesters while they were praying.

The Egyptian Army confirmed that one officer died in the violence, and said it had been forced to open fire when an “armed terrorist group” tried to storm the building, according to local and international news reports.

Morsi, an Islamist and Egypt's first freely elected leader, was ousted by the army last week after mass protests.

Scores of people have been killed since the unrest began at the end of last month.

We need your support so Novinite.com can keep delivering news and information about Bulgaria! Thank you!