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Cairo (AFP)

An Egyptian court on Saturday suspended a ruling banning the use of ride-sharing apps Uber and Careem until an appeal is exhausted, a judicial source said.

In March Cairo's administrative court banned the ride-sharing services following a lawsuit by a lawyer representing cab drivers.

Uber and Careem appealed the ban, and Saturday's decision by the urgent matters court suspends the ruling until the higher administrative court makes a final verdict.

The ride-sharing apps sparked protests by taxi drivers who complained that ride-share service drivers do not have to pay the hefty fees usually necessary to operate transportation vehicles.

Many Egyptians who complain about taxi services, including drivers who refuse to turn on their meters or their air conditioning during the summer heat, had switched to the ride-sharing apps.

Ride-share giant Uber works in countries across the globe.

Careem, a start-up headquartered in the United Arab Emirates, operates in the Middle East and Asia.

© 2018 AFP