Ashton Holds Talks In Cairo As Tensions Simmer

European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton has urged Egypt's leaders to reach out to the Muslim Brotherhood to find a solution to the country's increasingly violent political crisis.

Ashton met in Cairo with General Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, the head of the Egyptian Army who was behind the ouster of Islamist President Muhammad Morsi earlier this month.

She also met Vice President Mohamed ElBaradei and interim President Adly Mansour.

No details of the talks were released, but Ashton said in a statement before her arrival that she was going to speak to all sides to reinforce that "there must be a fully inclusive transition process, taking in all political groups, including the Muslim Brotherhood."

Separately, the White House on July 29 "strongly" condemned the recent violence in Egypt.

Based on reporting by Reuters, AFP, and AP