Clashes reveal Egypt's volatility 5 months later

CAIRO -- Two days of street battles between security forces and protesters in Cairo show just how volatile Egypt remains nearly five months after the popular uprising that ousted authoritarian leader Hosni Mubarak.

More than 1,000 people were hurt in the unrest Tuesday and Wednesday, driven by discontent over the slow pace of justice for old regime figures accused of corruption and killing protesters.

The clashes in Tahrir Square -- the worst since the 18-day uprising -- add a new layer to an already painful and chaotic transition from Mubarak's regime to democratic rule under the supervision of the military.

The violence will likely set back efforts to empower the discredited police to fully take back the city's crime-ridden streets after they melted away during the early days of the Jan. 25 to Feb. 11 uprising.

Additionally, it will almost certainly deepen the distrust felt by many Egyptians toward the 500,000-strong security forces blamed for the worst human rights abuses during Mubarak's 29-year rule.

Gigi Ibrahim, one of the protesters, said security forces rained tear gas on demonstrators this week.

"It was like January 25 again," she said. "The protesters have enough anger, either because change has not come or because the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces hasn't done enough" to meet their demands.

In Washington, U.S. State Department spokesman Mark Toner said the latest unrest "underscores the fact that this is a very difficult period for Egypt."

"It's a period of transition and we remain committed to assisting the people of Egypt as they make their way through this period of democratic transition," Toner said.

"Transparency and rule of law are absolutely crucial and violence by any party will not help achieve the goals of the January 25 revolution."