Three days after the military pushed out Mursi, the country appeared to be heading towards further conflict and turmoil.

Mursi's supporters have vowed to take to the streets until the toppled Islamist leader is reinstated, while his opponents have also called for more rallies.

Security forces boosted positions near a protest camp by supporters of Mursi as authorities plotted their next moves.

The country's acting president, Adly Mansour, met army chief and Defence Minister General Abdel Fattah al-Sisi as well as Interior Minister Mohammed Ibrahim at the Ittihadiya presidential palace.

Mansour also met leaders of Tamrod, or Rebel, the youth movement that helped to organise the mass anti-Mursi demonstrations.

Enraged by Mursi's overthrow, tens of thousands of the ousted president's supporters poured into the streets on Friday.

Violence erupted in central Cairo as the rival camps clashed on a bridge over the River Nile.

Officials have briefly detained top figures from the Muslim Brotherhood and have kept the toppled president out of sight.

Khairat el-Shater, considered the most powerful figure in the Brotherhood, was arrested on allegations of inciting violence, the Interior Ministry said.