Pretoria - The concern for social security and people's safety increased on Sunday, as thousands of prisoners escaped, after a night of worries for looting, ransacking and stealing in Egypt.
As more Egyptians took to the streets demanding the end of President Hosni Mubarak's 30-year rule, government has now ordered the closure of Arab satellite channel Al Jazeera in the country for its coverage of anti-government riots.
Thousands of prisoners broke out of a prison in Wadi Natrun, north of Cairo overnight, after overpowering the guards. Eight inmates died in the breakout, security sources said.
Gunshots were heard in the upscale neighborhood of Maadi in south Cairo early Sunday morning.
Thousands of protesters began to march towards the Tahrir Square on Sunday morning, bracing themselves for the sixth day of anti-government protests.
Local residents have been organised in groups to protect their properties from being looted and destroyed while the army troops were deployed to key areas of the capital.
According to local media, the house of Egyptian first lady Susan Mubarak's cousin was attacked on Saturday night.
Mass protests in Egypt entered the fifth day on Sunday. Many stores have been closed for fear of riots that accompanied the protests.
President Mubarak reshuffled the government and appointed Omar Suleiman as Egypt's vice president and Ahmed Shafik as the new prime minister on Saturday.
