Germany and US have called on Egypt's army to free deposed President Mohamed Morsi, amid ongoing protests on the first Friday of Ramadan.

Mr Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood movement may have alienated many people while in office, but many Egyptians are also uneasy at the military's intervention in the country's politics, analysts say, and what is emerging is a battle for public opinion and the middle ground.

Germany's foreign ministry called for all groups to refrain from violence, while urging the Egyptian authorities to end restrictions on Mr Morsi and allow an international organisation, such as the Red Cross, access to him. US government officials also  echoed similar voice.

On Thursday, Washington had urged Egypt's leadership to stop the new authorities' "arbitrary" arrests of Muslim Brotherhood members, warning against targeting any particular group.

The US administration is wrestling to characterize if the takeover constitutes a coup - US law prohibits the sending of aid to any country whose elected leader is deposed by a military coup.

From BBC