Egyptians have staged mass rallies in Cairo to condemn the deadly crackdown on protesters demanding a civilian government.

Egyptians have staged mass rallies in Cairo to condemn the ruling junta's deadly crackdown on protesters demanding a civilian government.

Thousands of Egyptians gathered in the capital's iconic Liberation square on Friday to demand the Supreme Council of Armed Forces (SCAF) to step down.

They are blaming the junta, which took power after the ouster of Hosni Mubarak in a popular revolution in February, for the recent bloodshed in the country.

They also criticize the SCAF for pursuing the brutal methods practiced during Mubarak's three-decade dictatorship.

Protestors also called on the ruling junta to apologize to the Egyptian nation, especially for the violence against female protesters.

"Women are a red line!" some protesters shouted in Tahrir Square as others chanted against Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi, the head of the ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces and Mubarak's longtime defence minister.

Egypt's Revolution Youth Movement, which played a lead role in massive demonstrations that brought down the Mubarak regime in February, has condemned the army's crackdown as an attempt to "protect the previous regime."

Friday's rally follows a week of deadly clashes between the armed forces and anti-government protesters, which have left at least 17 protesters dead and many more wounded.

The deaths of at least 100 people since the military took power, coupled with the brutality shown by army troops against protesters that included women, have prompted some activists to consider suing the ruling generals in local courts or have them put on trial before the International Criminal Court.

The military rulers have yet to give a clear timetable for their plan to step down and hand over power, which it had promised to take place in six months.

They have instead proposed holding a presidential election by late next year.