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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 Islamists and the military have been increasingly tense since the fall of President Mubarak. | Relations between Islamists and the military have been increasingly tense since the fall of President Mubarak. |
"Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi has been transferred into retirement from today," presidential spokesman Yasser Ali said in a statement. | |
He added that a career army officer, Gen Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi, would replace Field Marshal Tantawi as both armed forces chief and defence minister. | |
Field Marshal Tantawi, 76, has not yet indicated whether he accepts the moves. | |
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 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. |
But it is possible Mr Mursi's opponents may have underestimated him. | But it is possible Mr Mursi's opponents may have underestimated him. |
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. | 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. | 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. | 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. |
Chief of staff Sami Annan is also retiring, the spokesman announced. | |
Islamist raid | Islamist raid |
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. | |
As head of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (Scaf), Field Marshal Tantawi became Egypt's interim ruler after President Hosni Mubarak was ousted following mass protests in February last year. | |
Under the interim constitutional declaration issued by Scaf before Mr Mursi was sworn in, the president could not rule on matters related to the military - including appointing its leaders. | |
The council also dissolved parliament, which is dominated by the Muslim Brotherhood. | |
Tensions between the presidency and Scaf were further exacerbated after Islamist militants in the Sinai peninsula killed 16 border guards last week, in a raid that embarrassed the military. | |
The president, whose own Brotherhood movement renounced violence long ago, sacked Egypt's intelligence chief and two senior generals following the attack. | |
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. | 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. |