Egypt Islamists mark anniversary of mass killing

Cairo - Egyptian security forces firing tear gas have quashed small, scattered demonstrations by Islamist supporters of ousted president Mohammed Morsi who tried to commemorate the anniversary of the killing of hundreds of protesters.

After the military overthrew Morsi last summer amid massive demonstrations against his yearlong rule, authorities waged a sweeping crackdown on his Muslim Brotherhood movement and other Islamists, with hundreds killed in street clashes and tens of thousands detained.

The deadliest such incident was exactly one year ago, when security forces dispersed two large pro-Morsi sit-ins in Cairo, setting off clashes and killing hundreds of demonstrators in the worst mass killing in modern Egyptian history.

Authorities have blamed the Brotherhood for a string of attacks on security forces and have branded it a terrorist organisation.