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Gunfire has rung out in the early hours of Thursday around Cairo's Tahrir Square, where Egyptian anti-government protesters are camping out.
At least two people are reported dead. On Wednesday three died in clashes with supporters of President Hosni Mubarak.
Hundreds of people were wounded as rival groups fought pitched battles in and around Tahrir Square, in the worst violence in nine days of protests.
The protesters are demanding President Mubarak's resignation.
He says he will serve out his current presidential term, his fifth, which ends in September.
The unrest has left about 300 people dead across the country over more than a week, according to UN estimates.
Cairo's Tahrir Square has been the main focus of the protests.
There are reports early on Thursday that supporters of President Mubarak have been firing on people in the square from the October Bridge, with unknown numbers wounded.
The US State Department has urged all Americans in Egypt who wish to leave to go to airports 'immediately', adding that delay was 'not advisable'.
'Additional US government flights after Thursday are unlikely,' the State Department added.
'Paid to demonstrate'
Wednesday's violence began when thousands of supporters of President Mubarak surged into the square.
One anti-government protester told the BBC that the pro-Mubarak activists had initiated the fighting.
'They started throwing stones at us,' the man, named as Zaccaria, said. 'Then some of us started throwing stones at them and then we chased them out of the square. They returned once again with the horses and the whips and the thugs.'
Opposition supporters say many in the pro-government camp were paid by the authorities to demonstrate, and allowed into the square by the troops surrounding it.
The two sides pelted each other with stones in running battles lasting for hours.
Egyptian troops refused to intervene, but fired into the air to try to disperse people.
Egyptian Health Minister Ahmed Sameh Farid told the Associated Press news agency a member of the security forces died when he fell off a bridge.
Two other people died from unspecified wounds in hospital, he added. It was not clear whether they were critics or supporters of Mr Mubarak.
Clashes between the rival groups were also reported in Egypt's second city, Alexandria.
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Hundreds of people were wounded as rival groups fought pitched battles in and around Tahrir Square, in the worst violence in nine days of protests.
The protesters are demanding President Mubarak's resignation.
He says he will serve out his current presidential term, his fifth, which ends in September.
The unrest has left about 300 people dead across the country over more than a week, according to UN estimates.
Cairo's Tahrir Square has been the main focus of the protests.
There are reports early on Thursday that supporters of President Mubarak have been firing on people in the square from the October Bridge, with unknown numbers wounded.
The US State Department has urged all Americans in Egypt who wish to leave to go to airports 'immediately', adding that delay was 'not advisable'.
'Additional US government flights after Thursday are unlikely,' the State Department added.
'Paid to demonstrate'
Wednesday's violence began when thousands of supporters of President Mubarak surged into the square.
One anti-government protester told the BBC that the pro-Mubarak activists had initiated the fighting.
'They started throwing stones at us,' the man, named as Zaccaria, said. 'Then some of us started throwing stones at them and then we chased them out of the square. They returned once again with the horses and the whips and the thugs.'
Opposition supporters say many in the pro-government camp were paid by the authorities to demonstrate, and allowed into the square by the troops surrounding it.
The two sides pelted each other with stones in running battles lasting for hours.
Egyptian troops refused to intervene, but fired into the air to try to disperse people.
Egyptian Health Minister Ahmed Sameh Farid told the Associated Press news agency a member of the security forces died when he fell off a bridge.
Two other people died from unspecified wounds in hospital, he added. It was not clear whether they were critics or supporters of Mr Mubarak.
Clashes between the rival groups were also reported in Egypt's second city, Alexandria.
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