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Egypt leader Mursi orders army chief Tantawi to resign 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.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.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.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. Relations between Islamists and the military have been increasingly tense since the fall of President 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. Field Marshal Tantawi - who has also been removed as defence minister - has not yet indicated whether he accepts 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. Presidential spokesman Yasser Ali said a career army officer, Gen Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, would replace Field Marshal Tantawi.
Constitutional question He also said armed forces chief of staff Sami Annan was retiring.
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. BBC Middle East correspondent Kevin Connolly says the dismissal of senior military officers will be seen by Egyptians as a decisive move in a struggle for real power between the country's newly-elected politicians and the generals who have exercised power for many years.
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 he took office it seemed President Mohammed Mursi would be governing within narrow limits set by Egypt's generals - who had exercised power behind the throne for decades and then exercised it directly in the months since the fall of Hosni Mubarak.
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. But it is possible Mr Mursi's opponents may have underestimated him.
Sunday's presidential announcement also said armed forces chief of staff Sami Annan was retiring. Egypt's army was unprepared for a recent attack on a security base in the Sinai desert by Islamic militants in which 16 soldiers died.
Mr Mursi appears to be seizing on that failure - which shocked ordinary Egyptians - to move against two key members of the high command.
It may be that the move has been co-ordinated secretly with other influential generals behind the scenes but for now, no-one can be sure.
Islamist raid
As head of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (Scaf), Field Marshal Tantawi became Egypt's interim ruler after President Mubarak was ousted following mass protests in February last year.
Under the interim constitutional declaration issued before Mr Mursi was sworn in, the president could not rule on matters related to the military - including appointing its leaders.
Scaf also dissolved parliament, which is dominated by the president's Islamist allies.
Tensions between the Egyptian presidency and the military have been exacerbated since Islamist militants in the Sinai peninsula killed 16 border guards in a raid last week.
Our correspondent says Mr Mursi appears to be seizing on that failure - which shocked many Egyptians.
The presidential spokesman said Gen Annan and Field Marshal Tantawi had been appointed as presidential advisers and were given Egypt's highest state honour, the Grand Collar of the Nile.