Egypt used 'live ammo' on Morsi backers

Amnesty International says Egyptian security forces used excessive and unwarranted lethal force to disperse supporters of ousted president Mohamed Morsi.

Egyptian forces have been accused of using live ammunition to disperse supporters of Mohamed Morsi. (AAP)

Egyptian security forces used live ammunition on October 6 to disperse supporters of ousted president Mohamed Morsi, Amnesty International says.

At least 49 people were killed and hundreds wounded in Cairo alone as security forces used "excessive and unwarranted lethal force" to disperse pro-Morsi crowds, said the human rights watchdog.

The Egyptian health ministry said at least 57 people were killed nationwide on the day of the bloody crackdown, including 48 in the capital.

Quoting witnesses, Amnesty said in some instances, security forces also stood by as men in civilian clothing used firearms, knives and swords to attack the Islamist demonstrators.

On October 6, security forces clashed with pro-Morsi crowds in Cairo as they tried to reach the capital's Tahrir Square where supporters of the military were celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Arab-Israeli war.

"The Egyptian security forces patently failed to prevent the loss of life. In a number of cases bystanders or non-violent protesters were caught up in the violence," Amnesty's Hassiba Hadj Sahraoui said in a statement.

"Although some pro-Morsi protesters threw rocks, burned tyres and used fireworks or other incendiaries against security forces and local residents, the security forces ... resorted to the use of lethal force when it was not strictly necessary."

Amnesty said no members of the security forces were killed during the clashes.

The clashes were the deadliest since security forces stormed two Cairo protest camps of Morsi supporters on August 14, leaving hundreds of people dead.

Amnesty said the worst bloodshed was in the Cairo district of Dokki, where 27 people died as a result of live rounds and three from shotgun pellet wounds.

At Dokki, the security forces used "tear gas, shotguns and live ammunition against protesters attempting to reach and cross a bridge leading to Tahrir Square," said the London-based watchdog.

Amnesty said another 16 people were "shot dead" near Ramses Square when security forces used live ammunition to disperse protesters trying to reach Tahrir.

Calling for a full and impartial investigation, Hadj Sahraoui said the "Egyptian security forces have an abysmal track record of using disproportionate force during protests".