Special to WorldTribune.com

CAIRO — Egyptian security forces have been fleeing rioters and in
some cases surrendering their weapons.

Security sources acknowledged that Egyptian police and security forces
were refusing to battle pro-democracy protesters in several cities of
the Arab League state. They said police officers, particularly conscripts,
were fleeing violent protests and even abandoning their weapons.

“There is confusion among the officers over what they are expected to
do,” a source said.

Several police officers have been killed in the clashes with protesters
since Jan 25. In Port Said, two officers were shot dead during
battles with tens of thousands of protesters.

In Cairo, at least a dozen officers were said to have been severely
injured in clashes near the presidential palace and Tahrir Square. The
sources said the new opposition militia, dubbed Black Bloc,
targeted the officers.

The sources said the flight of the officers also took place in attacks
on police stations in such cities as Alexandria and Suez. They said recruits
from the Central Security Forces changed into civilian clothes, handed their
weapons to commanders and fled.

“These young conscripts feared that their identities were known to the
protesters, and they could be followed home and killed,” the source said.

In the Sinai Peninsula, scores of police officers abandoned
positions around the provincial capital of El Arish. The sources said
officers were frightened by the killing of several of their colleagues by
Bedouin insurgents in late 2012.

Hundreds of officers have joined an opposition lobby to end their
deployment against civilian protesters. The lobby, called “Officers, But
Honorable,” said police and CSF commanders were no longer responsible for
the protection of their troops.

“A large portion of Interior Ministry officers learned the lessons of
the January [2011] revolution and realized that leaders would be protected
by the regime, while they would be fighting on the streets,” Mohammed
Mahfouz, active in Officers But Honorable, said.

For his part, Morsi has replaced many of the security commanders,
including Interior Minister Ahmed Gamal Eddin. In late 2012. Gamal Eddin was
replaced by Mohammed Ibrahim, deemed close to the ruling Muslim Brotherhood.

“Former minister Gamal Eddin was trying to pull the police out of the
political scene, but the current minister is biased toward the Muslim
Brotherhood,” a police officer identified only as Islam told the Egyptian
daily Al Masri Al Yom.

  Black Bloc, Confusion reported in police ranks as riots spread in Egypt, El Arish, Mohammed Ibrahim, Mohammed Morsi, Police flee, Port Said, Tahrir Square