* Troops and protesters battle in central Cairo
* Violence clouds election set to empower Islamists
(Adds details on late night protest, election results)
By Tamim Elyan
CAIRO, Dec 18 (Reuters) - Protesters and securityforces fought in Cairo on Sunday, the third day of clashes thathave killed 10 people and exposed rifts over the army's role asit manages Egypt's promised transition from military to civilianrule.
Soldiers and police manned barriers on some streets aroundTahrir Square, the hub of the uprising that ousted PresidentHosni Mubarak and again convulsed by violence as protestersdemand the generals who took charge in February quit power.
Police in riot gear made brief forays beyond their barriersand were met by a surge of protesters pelting them with rocks.Police appeared to have taken over the frontline from soldiers.
Troops in riot gear were filmed on Saturday beatingprotesters with long sticks even after they had fallen to theground. A Reuters picture showed two soldiers dragging a womanlying on the ground by her shirt, exposing her underwear.
The violence has overshadowed a staggered parliamentaryelection, the first free vote most Egyptians can remember, thatis set to give Islamists the biggest bloc.
Some Egyptians are enraged by the army's behaviour. Otherswant to focus on voting, not street protests.
The ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces will retainpower even after the lower house vote is completed in January,but has pledged to hand over to an elected president by July.
"Down with Tantawi," about 1,000 protesters chanted late onSunday, referring to Field Marshal Mohamed Hussein Tantawi whoheads the army council and who was Mubarak's defence minister.
Some youths had earlier hulred rocks and petrol bombs atlines of security forces. Riot police appeared to have moved tothe frontline instead of soldiers.
An army source said 164 people had been detained.
Hundreds of protesters were in Tahrir on Sunday, althoughtraffic was flowing through the square coming from streets notblocked and away from the violence. Most of the clashes havebeen in streets leading off the square.
BOUTS OF VIOLENCE
One group of activists approached those hurling stones tourge them to stop, but they refused, citing the deaths of 10people as a reason not to "negotiate". Other activists handedover to the army people they said were making petrol bombs.
A hardcore of activists have camped in Tahrir since aprotest against army rule on Nov. 18 that was sparked by thearmy-backed cabinet's proposals to permanently shield themilitary from civilian oversight in the new constitution.
Bouts of violence since then, including a flare-up lastmonth that killed 42, have deepened frustrations of many otherEgyptians, who want an end to protests. They see the military asthe only force capable of restoring stability.
"There are people who wait for any problem and seek toamplify it ... The clashes won't stop. There are street childrenwho found shelter in Tahrir," said Ali el-Nubi, a postal worker,adding the army should have managed the transition better.
Reuters television footage showed one soldier in a line ofcharging troops firing a shot at fleeing protesters on Saturday,though it was not clear whether he was using live rounds.
The army said it does not use live ammunition. It has alsosaid troops had tackled only "thugs", not protesters.
A building near Tahrir with historic archives was gutted onSaturday by a fire. Some people tried to gather up anyremaining, partially charred documents to save them.
The Health Ministry said 10 people had been killed in theviolence since Friday and 505 were wounded, of which 384 hadbeen taken to hospital. Most of the deaths happened on Friday orearly Saturday. No deaths were reported on Sunday.
CONCRETE BARRIER
The latest bloodshed began after the second round of votinglast week for parliament's lower house. The staggered electionbegan on Nov. 28 and will end with a run-off vote on Jan. 11.
The Muslim Brotherhood and other Islamist parties repressedin the 30-year Mubarak era have emerged as strong front-runners.
The Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party said it hadreceived about 40 percent of votes cast for party lists in thesecond round of voting last week. The strict Salafi al-NourParty said its list received about 35 percent.
Despite their commanding position built, it is unclearwhether the two rival Islamist groups will form an alliance inparliament, as they have each spoken warily of the other.
The leadership of the Brotherhood is cautious of a whollyIslamist ruling coalition, which Egyptians from other politicaltrends might view as divisive and polarising in a period whenthey think broader national unity is needed. Nour politiciansaccuse the Brotherhood of compromising Islamic values. (Additional reporting by Marwa Awad, Alexander Dziadosz andShaimaa Fayed; Writing by Edmund Blair; Editing by Sophie Hares)
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