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Egypt offices in Algiers attacked Algeria secures Egyptian embassy
(about 2 hours later)
Egyptian businesses have been attacked in the Algerian capital, Algiers, during a rally in support of the Algerian football team. Security forces have been deployed to protect the Egyptian embassy in Algiers after Egyptian businesses in the Algerian capital were attacked.
Thousands of people gathered in the city centre, hoping to buy plane tickets to Sudan for a World Cup qualification play-off against Egypt. The offices of Egypt Air and an Egyptian phone company were ransacked on Sunday during a rally in support of the Algerian football team.
Fans broke into the offices of Egypt Air and an Egyptian phone company. Thousands of people had gathered hoping to buy plane tickets to Sudan for the World Cup play-off match against Egypt.
Wednesday's play-off is required after Saturday's final group qualifier left the teams level on points. Wednesday's match will determine which of the sides attends South Africa 2010.
The demonstration had began peacefully with a procession and shouts of "One, two, three, Go Algeria!" Hysteria
Later a group of supporters broke through the metal shutters of an Egypt Air branch, smashed the window and ransacked the office. The demonstration had began peacefully with a procession and shouts of "One, two, three. Go Algeria!"
There is intense rivalry between the sides
As tensions built, fans broke through the metal shutters of an Egypt Air branch, smashed the window and ransacked the office.
The offices of telephone company Djeezy were also broken into and there were reports of a Djeezy employee being assaulted at Algiers airport.The offices of telephone company Djeezy were also broken into and there were reports of a Djeezy employee being assaulted at Algiers airport.
Remaining place The BBC's Arab affairs analyst, Magdi Abdelhadi, says this is the first time the violence has reached such a level.
On Thursday, four members of the Algerian football squad were injured when their team bus was attacked with stones as it arrived in Cairo for the first leg match. Our analyst added that despite official efforts to contain the hysteria by emphasising common culture and religion, loyalty to the respective football teams appears to have the upper hand.
Following the game, around 20 Algerians were injured in clashes in and around Cairo. Wednesday's sudden-death game is needed to separate the teams following Saturday's tense final group qualifier in Cairo that left the teams level on points in the qualification group.
Egypt won the tense fixture 2-0, meaning the teams have an equal number of points in their qualifying group. Egypt won that leg 2-0.
Wednesday' match in Khartoum, a neutral venue, is set to decide who will take the remaining qualifying place for the World Cup in South Africa in 2010. Four members of the Algerian football squad were injured on Thursday when their team bus was attacked with stones as it arrived in Cairo for the game.
Following the match, around 20 Algerians were injured in clashes in and around Cairo.
The teams have an intense rivalry that goes back decades. The last time they met in a major tournament in 1989, the match was followed by riots.The teams have an intense rivalry that goes back decades. The last time they met in a major tournament in 1989, the match was followed by riots.