barriers at Cairo presidential palace

The Egyptian army has set up barricades outside the presidential palace, after ordering protesters to leave the area.

It follows violent overnight clashes between supporters and opponents of President Mohammed Morsi that left five people dead and 644 injured.

Most protesters left the palace by the 15:00 (13:00 GMT) deadline, though some opposition activists remained,according to BBC.

Meanwhile, Egypt’s top Islamic body has called on the president to suspend his decree claiming sweeping powers.

The president adopted new powers in the decree on 22 November, and stripped the judiciary of any power to challenge his decisions.

Morsi, who narrowly won Egypt’s first free presidential election in June, says he will give up his new powers once a new constitution is ratified.

But there is also controversy over the proposed constitution. Critics say the draft was rushed through parliament without proper consultation and does not do enough to protect political and religious freedoms and the rights of women.

Four of his advisers resigned on Wednesday – three others did so last week and the official Mena news agency reported a further resignation on Thursday.

The UN’s human rights chief, Navi Pillay has urged respect for the right to peaceful protest.

“The current government came to power on the back of similar protests and so should be particularly sensitive to the need to protect protesters’ rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly,” Reuters quoted her as saying.

Tanks and armoured troop carriers were deployed outside the presidential palace on Thursday morning following the overnight clashes between the pro-Morsi Muslim Brotherhood supporters and his mainly secular opponents.

Opposition Al-Wafd newspaper: “What the Muslim Brotherhood is doing in Egypt in the present enjoys no support but that of its followers and the terrorist groups who share the same ideology.”

English-language Egyptian Gazette: Morsi’s legacy may be one of “polarisation leading to civil war… Egypt will have a new constitution written by a minority of fanatics while the vast majority of Egyptians will have been marginalised”.

The head of Egypt’s Republican Guard said the forces had been sent there to separate the rival protesters.

The opposition has said it will continue to hold demonstrations.

“We are planning marches later today, most probably taking off from Tahrir Square, disregarding the Republican Guard’s decision,” said an unnamed member of the National Salvation Front, a recently formed group which has united some of the most prominent anti-Morsi figures.

“We had many injuries last night, and we are not going to have their blood wasted.”

M.D