Egypt apologizes for deaths of protesters

Egypt's military leaders apologized Thursday for the deaths of protesters during the recent clashes, vowed to prosecute offenders and pay the medical bills of those injured.

The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces posted the apology on its Facebook page.

"The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces presents its regrets and deep apologies for the deaths of martyrs among Egypt's loyal sons during the recent events in Tahrir Square," the message said. "The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces confirms that it is making every sincere effort to prevent such events from happening again."

The message comes as a relative calm fell over Tahrir Square after days of deadly clashes. Soldiers erected barbed wire barricades to separate protesters and police early Thursday.

Meanwhile, the Ahram Online website -- part of the state-owned Al-Ahram newspaper group -- reported that the country's major political parties are considering asking the Supreme Council to postpone the first round of parliamentary elections for two weeks. Those elections are scheduled for Monday.

The website attributed the information to unnamed sources close to the discussions. On Tuesday, the liberal Wafd Party floated a similar suggestion in a public statement, the website said.

Since Saturday, protesters have clashed with police near Tahrir Square -- the epicenter of the movement that led to former President Hosni Mubarak's ouster in February. They are calling for the country's interim military rulers to step down immediately.

On Wednesday, the government said the two sides had declared a truce. But three hours later, protesters lobbed rocks at police, who retaliated with tear gas. The unrest continued late into the night.

Egypt's grand mufti, the country's highest religious official, has called on police to put down their weapons and "never aim" firearms at the Egyptian people. In an audio message aired by Egyptian state TV on Wednesday, he called for a "peaceful protest for Egypt's sake."

By Wednesday, the death toll from the clashes stood at 38, including 33 in Cairo, Egypt's Health Ministry said.

Another 3,250 have been wounded, said Hisham Sheeha of Egypt's Health Ministry. And police have arrested countless others.

Late Wednesday, prominent American-Egyptian journalist Mona Eltahawy tweed that she had been detained.

"Beaten arrested in interior ministry," her post read.

The U.S. State Department called the arrest "very concerning" and said embassy officials were trying to get information from Egyptian authorities.

Also arrested were three American college students accused of tossing Molotov cocktails during the protests.