Officials from several branches of Egypt’s security forces previously told The Associated Press that that attack killed dozens more.

A month later, on August 14, 2013, hundreds of Brotherhood members and other Islamists protesting Morsi’s overthrow were killed when security forces stormed their sit-in at that square, then known as Rabaah al-Adawiya.

The ministry said in a statement that five demonstrators were killed in the Talibiya clashes, and one in the nearby town of Nahia, an Islamist stronghold where another group of protesters clashed with police. In the Mediterranean city of Alexandria, police arrested 20 Islamist protesters after they directed fireworks at officers, the official MENA news agency reported.

Political violence has increased in Egypt, two years after Islamist President Mohammed Morsi was ousted by the military, following mass protests against his rule.

Demonstrations have largely given way to militant attacks, often small bombings and attacks on infrastructure such as electricity towers.

On Thursday night, Morsi released a message from his jail cell calling on his supporters to “save Egypt from the oppressive military officials”. Last month, a criminal court sentenced him to death for involvement in a big prison break during the 2011 uprising against his predecessor Hosni Mubarak.

Demonstrations have dwindled under a law that requires a police permit.

Numerous group’s leaders had fled the country and operate out of Turkey and the United Kingdom.

Police intervened and arrested 15 people, according to a security source.