Egypt Ends Diplomatic Efforts with Morsi Supporters

Release the hounds

Egypt's interim government said diplomatic efforts to resolve a political crisis with supporters of deposed President Mohammed Morsi had failed, and signaled it would begin removing thousands of them from the makeshift encampments where they are protesting.

The development, which ends nearly two weeks of international diplomacy, set the military-backed government on a collision course with the demonstrators, who have vowed to resist attempts to remove them.

Tens of thousands of Mr. Morsi's mostly Islamist supporters have maintained tent cities at Cairo's Raba'a Al Adiwiya and Nahda squares since shortly before Mr. Morsi was ousted on July 3, refusing to budge until he was reinstated. Their resolve seems to have grown since Egypt's security services killed more than 100 of his supporters in two bloody confrontations.