Spooked Anderson Cooper Exits Egypt

Amid escalating tensions in Egypt, CNN news anchor Anderson Cooper has left Egypt.

With his departure, Cooper joins fellow journalists, including Katie Couric and Brian Williams. It was a difficult decision, he said.

"It is with a heavy heart that I have decided to leave Egypt, “ Cooper tweeted Saturday. “CNN continues to have many teams in place. It was a hard decision to leave."

Cooper was one of approximately 114 journalists attacked last week. After being “roughed up” by pro-government protestors, Cooper was forced to retreat to a secret location for reporting.

Despite having been punched at least 10 times in the head, he originally insisted on staying and said he would “find a way” to continue coverage of the protests against Egyptian President Mumbarak.

During a telephone call Saturday night, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton told Egyptian Prime Minister Ahmed Shafiq that the harassment and arrests of journalists covering the protests “must stop.”

According to The N.Y. Daily News, the Prime Minister has stated there have not been any instructions toward media coverage.

"I made clear they have full freedom to do anything they want," he said.

The Miami Herald reports that arrests on both journalists and human rights activists could be pointing towards a military crackdown. Recent arrests are being conducted by the military since the police have “all but disappeared.”

Middle East researcher for Human Rights Watch Heba Morayef noted, “It’s a worrying sign of things to come…because the military is going to play a big role going forward.”