Egypt: Legacy of Rabaa Massacre 5 Years Later | Time

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by

Trent
in

Five Years Ago, I Witnessed a Massacre. Here’s How It Changed Me

In August 2013, Egyptian photographer Mosa’ab Elshamy witnessed the military killings of hundreds of protesters

via Time: http://time.com/longform/rabaa-square-massacre-legacy/

In the early hours of Aug. 14, I was trying to make my way into Rabaa Square with my camera, unaware of the violence I was about to witness. The sun had just become visible on the horizon when a block of armored military vehicles jammed the square — one of Cairo’s busiest thoroughfares — shutting down all major exits to the sit-in. Police and military soldiers advanced to clear the sit-in using live ammunition, armored vehicles and snipers. Around 800 people were killed in fewer than 12 hours. A huge fire engulfed the sit-in, burning down tents and the nearby Rabaa al-Adawiya Mosque.