In Egypt , army troops have moved to halt the clashes between the police and the protesters near Tahrir Square in Cairo . Armoured vehicles have moved in towards Mohammed Mahmoud Street , the area where the clashes erupted on Wednesday.

One person was killed in violent clashes in Alexandria taking the death toll in the five day long violence to 31. The protesters sit in at the Tahrir Square has entered the fifth day.

They have rejected the military rulers appeal to vacate the square and end the protests and maintain that the sit-in protests at Tahrir Square will continue till the army cedes power to a civilian transitional authority.

Meanwhile, the Egyptian Health Minister Amr Helmi has denied reports that security forces had fired nerve gas on pro-democracy protesters in Tahrir Square . The Health Minister said a panel has been set up to examine samples of the gas fired on the demonstrators on Tuesday.

Protesters continue to gather in large numbers at the Cairo ‘s Tehrir Square despite a call by the military rulers. Egypt ’s Field Marshal Mohamed Hussein Tantawi promised the nation that the army was ready to hand over powers and return to barracks.

He said , if required, a referendum can be held on the immediate transfer of power to a civilian administration. The military leader also promised that the Presidential polls would be held in June next year and parliamentary polls would begin as scheduled on November 28.

Efforts are on to form a National Salvation Government in the country after the resignation of Prime Minister Essam Sharaf led cabinet on Monday. The Supreme Council of Armed Forces held crisis talks with the political parties including Muslim Brotherhood on the formation of a new Government.