SCENES of mayhem and violence in Cairo added to the fear already running high in the capital of 18 million people after a weekend of rampant looting and lawlessness and the escape of thousands of prisoners from jails in the chaos.

Thousands of supporters and opponents of Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak battled in Cairo’s main square today, raining stones, bottles and firebombs on each other in scenes of uncontrolled violence as soldiers stood by without intervening.

TWO suicide car bombers struck a crowded area outside a state-run bank yesterday in Baghdad, killing nearly 30 people in the latest attack targeting a high-profile part of the capital.