Soldiers beat hundreds of protesters with clubs and fired heavy volleys of gunfire into the air in a pre-dawn raid Saturday, April 9, to disperse an overnight demonstration in Cairo's central Tahrir Square.

It was the latest sign of tension between Egypt's ruling military and protesters. The troops eventually withdrew, however, enabling protesters to reoccupy the square and block the streets leading into it. Armed with sticks and other makeshift weapons, they vowed not to leave until the defense minister, the titular head of state, has resigned.

According to the Associated Press, a force of around 300 soldiers swept into the square around 3 am and waded into a tent camp in the center where protesters had formed a human cordon to protect several army officers who had joined their demonstration in defiance of their superiors.

The troops dragged an unknown number of protesters away, throwing them into police trucks, eyewitnesses said.