Egypt's government set to lift state of emergency two days early

Egypt planned to lift a three-month state of emergency and curfew yesterday, two days earlier than expected, government sources and a security source said.

Egypt's army-backed authorities announced the nightly curfew on August 14, when security forces forcibly ended the two main sit-ins by supporters of ousted Islamist president Mohammed Mursi in Cairo, prompting waves of violence in which hundreds of people were killed.

The state of emergency allowed the authorities to make arrests without warrants and gave security officials the right to search people's homes.

The government's decision, the security source said, came after a court ruling that the state of emergency, that includes a curfew from 1am to 5am, expired yesterday.

The cabinet said in a statement it was "committed to execute the court ruling and is waiting to receive a copy of the ruling to execute it".

Hundreds of pro-Mursi supporters have been staging almost daily protests against the army since they deposed him in July. Egyptian authorities have arrested thousands of Islamist activists and Mursi supporters in the past three months.