Cairo, Jan 29 (PTI): Refusing to step down in the face of intense anti-government protests, Egypt's beleaguered President Hosni Mubarak today sacked his Cabinet and vowed to pursue democratic and economic reforms in his first response to the unrest that has claimed at least 27 lives. 

"I have asked the government to present its resignation and tomorrow there will be a new government," the 82-year-old leader, who has been in power since 1981, said in a television speech early today after four days of unprecedented mass protests against his autocratic regime.

The Egyptian President, who defended riot police's firing of tear gas, rubber bullets and water cannons at protesters, also promised democratic and economic reforms. "We will not backtrack on reforms. We will continue with new steps which will ensure the independence of the judiciary and its rulings, and more freedom for citizens," he said in his first statement since the protests began on Tuesday.

Mubarak vowed to take fresh measures "to contain unemployment, raise living standards, improve services and stand by the poor." But he refused to step down, setting the stage for possible heavier protests by tens of thousands of activists demanding his resignation.

The unrest has so far left at least 27 people dead and hundreds injured, media reports said, adding that around 1,000 protesters have been arrested across the country.
Thirteen protesters died in clashes with police in the canal city of Suez, five in Cairo and two in Mansura yesterday, the reports said. Seven others had been killed on Wednesday and Thursday.

Notwithstanding Mubarak's announcement about sacking of the government, thousands of protesters continued to defy curfew in the capital Cairo and cities of Alexandria and Suez and poured on the streets, with many of them even asking patrolling soldiers to join them.

There were reports of looting in several parts of Cairo, including in offices related to the government. Protesters yesterday set ablaze the headquarters of Mubarak's National Democratic Party in Cairo and two police stations, apart from smashing security vehicles. They also tried to storm the Foreign Ministry office.

Mubarak had clamped night curfew from 6 pm to 7 am in Cairo, Alexandria and Suez cities. Later, it was extended nationwide. He yesterday asked the "armed forces, in cooperation with the police, to implement the decision, and maintain security and secure public establishments and private property".

Pro-democracy leader and Nobel laureate Mohamed ElBaradei, who is also former IAEA chief, was placed under house arrest yesterday after joining the wave of protests following his return home from abroad.

Authorities had yesterday cut Internet and cell-phone data services across the country in a bid to hamper protesters from organising mass rallies.

The protests for Mubarak's ouster came against the backdrop of widespread resentment over rising unemployment, food prices and corruption.

The unrest came close on the heels of a mass uprising in Tunisia in which President Zine al Abidine Ben Ali was ousted after ruling the country for 23 years and forced to flee to Saudi Arabia along with his family.

The demonstrations in Egypt are backed by both the country's biggest opposition group, the Muslim Brotherhood, and ElBaradei.

"It is a critical time in the life of Egypt. I have come  to participate with the Egyptian people," ElBaradei had said before leaving Cairo airport after his arrival from Vienna.

"We're still reaching out to the regime to work with them for the process of change. Every Egyptian doesn't want to see the country going into violence," he had said, adding "our hand is outstretched."

"I wish that we didn't have to go to the streets to impress on the regime that they need to change," ElBaradei said.

Reacting to the protests in Egypt, US President Barack Obama asked Mubarak to halt the crackdown on demonstrators, saying Washington would continue to stand up for the rights of the Egyptian people and work along with their government to ensure a better future.

Obama, who spoke to Mubarak for 30 minutes last evening, asked the Egyptian authorities to refrain from any violence against peaceful protesters.

"The people of Egypt have rights that are universal. That includes the right to peaceful assembly and association, the right to free speech and the ability to determine their own destiny. These are human rights. And the United States will stand up for them everywhere," Obama said in his statement to the press.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, who is in Davos for the World Economic Forum, warned Egypt's government that "freedom of expression should be fully respected" while dealing with the protests.

"Freedom of expression and association should be fully respected," he told reporters on the sidelines of the meet when asked about Egypt's decision to block Internet.

Ban appealed to the governments in the region facing protests such as Tunisia, Egypt and Yemen to listen to their people's "legitimate concerns" and address them.

"I have been very closely following the situation which has been happening in that region, starting from Tunisia, then Egypt, now Yemen and elsewhere," he said.