Egypt braces for Friday protests

Cairo: Egypt's interior ministry warned of "decisive measures" as dissidents planned to rally after Friday noon prayers for a fourth day in a row in the country's most serious anti-government unrest in decades.

Obama: violence not the answer in Egypt

The warning came as internet services suffered disruptions and cell phone text messaging was down, both used by organisers of this week's protests that led to deadly clashes between police and demonstraters.

As the unrest continued, US President Barack Obama warned that violence was not the answer, urging restraint on both sides.

The country's largest opposition said late Thursday that it would participate in Friday's protests.

"It is a critical time in the life of Egypt", said Nobel Peace Prize winner Mohammad Al Baradei, who returned to Egypt from Vienna on Thursday.

"I am still here hoping to continue to manage the process of change in an orderly way, in a peaceful way."

Egypt's interior ministry warned that it would take "decisive measures" against anti-government protesters.

Seven people have been killed so far - five protesters and two policemen - and more than 100 injured.

And a security official said around 1,000 people had been arrested since the protests began.

In Suez, which has been ground zero for some of the most violent demonstrations, police fired tear gas at protesters who hurled stones and petrol bombs into the early hours of Friday. Fires burned in the street, filling the air with smoke.

At another rally near Giza on the outskirts of Cairo, police used tear gas to break up hundreds of protesters late at night. Cairo, normally vibrant on a Thursday night ahead of the weekend, was largely deserted, with shops and restaurants shut.