The head of the Egyptian army appeared live on television late on Wednesday night, announcing the suspension of the country’s constitution, the BBC reported.
General Abdul Fattah Al-Sisi, flanked by religious and military leaders, said the chief justice of constitutional court would take the powers of the presidency.
His announcement means President Mohammed Morsi is no longer in power.
Anti-Morsi protesters in Cairo’s Tahrir Square gave out a huge cheer in response to the speech.
The move follows four days of mass street protests against Morsi, and an ultimatum issued by the military which expired on Wednesday afternoon.
After General Sisi’s address, both Pope Tawadros II, the head of the Coptic Church, and leading opposition figure Mohammed ElBaradei made short statements.
ElBaradei said the new roadmap aimed for national reconciliation and represented a fresh start to the January 2011 revolution.
TV stations belonging to Morsi’s Muslim Brotherhood went off air at the end of the speech.
Earlier, the country’s top generals summoned civilian political leaders to an emergency meeting on Wednesday to discuss a new interim government while moving tanks toward the presidential palace and restricting Morsi’s travel.
The developments followed as street tensions intensified and a 48-hour deadline imposed by the military generals on the increasingly isolated president to meet the demands of millions of unhappy Egyptians came and went.
By 6:30pm military forces began moving around Cairo. Tanks and troops headed for the presidential palace – although it was unclear whether Morsi was inside – while other soldiers ringed the nearby square where tens of thousands of the president’s supporters were rallying.
Many of the Islamists had armed themselves with makeshift clubs, shields made of pot covers or metal scraps and plastic hard hats, and there were small scuffles with the better-armed soldiers. Some soldiers fired their weapons in the air. But the military forces held back.
Morsi’s senior foreign policy adviser, Essam el-Haddad, issued an open letter on Wednesday on his official Web page lamenting what he called the imminent takeover of Egypt’s first freely elected government.
“As I write these lines I am fully aware that these may be the last lines I get to post on this page,” he wrote. “For the sake of Egypt and for historical accuracy, let’s call what is happening by its real name: Military coup.”
Security officials said the military’s intelligence service had banned any travel by Morsi and senior Islamist aides, including the Muslim Brotherhood’s supreme guide, Mohamed Badie, and his influential deputy, Khairat el-Shater.
People close to the president said at around the same time that talks with the generals continued but looked increasingly futile.
With millions of Egyptians waiting to see what the military would do, Morsi reiterated in a Facebook posting what he had said in a long televised speech Tuesday night, vowing to stay in power as Egypt’s first democratically elected president following the 2011 revolution that overthrew Hosni Mubarak.
“The presidency reaffirms that violating constitutional legitimacy threatens democratic practice by veering off the right track and threatens the freedom of expression that Egypt has lived since the revolution,” the statement said.
Among those called to the meeting with the generals was Mohamed ElBaradei, the former UN diplomat who has been tapped by the protesters demanding Morsi’s ouster as one of their negotiators over a new interim government.
ElBaradei has been an outspoken critic of Morsi and his allies in the Muslim Brotherhood, the constitution they pushed to a referendum and the previous period of military rule.
Here is a General who acted like a General when he saw the country going in the wrong direction. In pakistan we have a coward as the COAS who acts like politicians bodyguard than a leader. Can't wait for kiayani to be tried as a traitor once he is out of uniform. After all, he did "aid and abett" Musharraf.
Wishing too much. Corruption and licking the boot is in our(South Asian) blood 🙁
Where is General Ashfaq khasi kyani
kayani is all mouth and no action – does not care what is happening inside pakitan, it is the same with crooked eyed chaudry
All of you morons on here complaining about the general,what have you done to better this country except run your big mouth and whine.You compare the general to the Egyptian general? now compare your sorry selves to the people of Egypt who sacrificed so much,unlike you,all you do is call each other names,burn tires and flags.Look at the videos of men,women and children demanding the government to do the right thing and holding them accountable.Thats how its done,I know I'll get a lot of whiney comments,All I can say is,truth bites and hurts like a b..t..This was also a democratically elected government a year ago,they did not perform,they did not fulfill their promise,they did not do what they said they would and above all that,they apparently did things against our teachings in Islam.They had to go,millions of Egyptians made sure.So stop comparing and do something productive instead.
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Duden for the brotherhood …
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Why these military coup only happens in Muslim countries? Why we all expect army to take control of country? Is it only failure of politicians or Military is better a better option? Why west all wellcome a dictaror? Why don't we have patience to get rid of Govt through Elections? Why only those politicians succeeds who have Western support?
Muslim country is misnomer. Whatever Morsi was doing was not Islam. People were unhappy and restless.
Egypt in deep SH*T,,, US has the main role in this. They are not ready for democarcy like Pak.
US wants Morsi back. US is settling Saudi strategy, they have made the whole Middle East a mess.
Pakistani leaders can learn a lesson or two from the developing situation in Egypt. If the country’s survival is at stake and people have no recourse to undo the elections, no amount of deterrence in the form of Article 6 of the Constitution can stop a coup. This country that witnessed its first smooth civilian transition after the 2013 elections can also learn lessons, not only from Egypt but also from its own history. Its present government has to focus its energies to steer the country out of financial bankruptcy, a power crisis and an unjust taxation system. Remember: A happy and prosperous majority never looks toward the military for deliverance. Please read more at: http://www.allvoices.com/contributed-news/1491468…
Lets wait for 100 days in Pakistan. If the Govt fails to deliver it should face the same fate.
even if they are given a year , stil nothing can they do as they are so corrupt and the taxation they have introduced is the begining of their end. hope Gen. Kiyani will be pushed for some real work instead of all mouth and no action sh*t. so tired of his lame apperances as bodyguard of these crooked politians.
Congratulations to the Egyptian military for listening to the people of Egypt …they have now given their people a second chance to rebuild their country into a truely democratic place that is dedicated to serving all Egyptians and not just the Muslim Brotherhood…
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