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Egypt leader Mursi orders army chief Tantawi to resign | |
(40 minutes later) | |
Egyptian President Mohammed Mursi has ordered the retirement of the powerful head of the country's armed forces, Field Marshal Mohamad Hussein Tantawi, a presidential spokesman has said. | |
He also said a constitutional declaration aimed at curbing presidential powers had been cancelled. | |
Mr Mursi, who was elected in June, is a member of the Muslim Brotherhood. | |
Relations between the Brotherhood and the military have been tense since the fall of President Hosni Mubarak. | |
It is not clear whether the president has the power to sack the head of the armed forces, or whether Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi will accept the moves. | |
The BBC's Yolande Knell in Cairo says the president's intervention is clearly an attempt to take decisive action in his tug of war for control with the armed forces. | |
Constitutional question | |
Under an interim constitutional declaration issued before Mr Mursi was sworn in, the president cannot rule on matters related to the military - including appointing its leaders. | |
The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (Scaf), which issued the declaration, also dissolved the Egyptian Parliament, which is dominated by the president's Islamist allies. | |
As head of the Scaf, Field Marshal Tantawi became Egypt's interim ruler after President Mubarak was ousted following mass protests in February last year. | |
Sunday's presidential announcement also said armed forces chief of staff Sami Annan was retiring. |