CAIRO - Egypt's ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces called for urgent talks with political forces late Monday, state TV reported.

Protesters, some of whom wearing protection masks, run from tear gas thrown at them by riot police during clashes near Tahrir Square in Cairo November 21, 2011. [Photo/Agencies]

The military council said in a statement that it deeply regretted over the latest clashes between protesters and police, and ordered to set up a committee to investigate the violence.

The council offered deep condolences to the families of the victims in the clashes, hoping all the injured would recover soon.

It ordered the security forces to take necessary measures to protect the demonstrators and keep utmost self-restraint within the legal framework.

The military guaranteed the rights of peace demonstrations of civilians in accordance with law, but protesters could not exceed the limit of peaceful demonstrations under any circumstances, according to the statement.

Some 23 people have died and nearly 2,000 others were injured in the three days of clashes between protesters and police in Egypt.

The military council assigned the Justice Ministry to form an investigation committee to probe the causes of the deaths and submit the results as soon as possible so as to take legal measures against the participants in the violence.  

The Egyptian cabinet said Monday in a statement that it submitted its resignation a day earlier, but Egypt's Nile TV channel said late Monday that the military has not decided on the matter.