Egypt’s military has suspended the Islamist-backed constitution and called early elections.
The military also announced that embattled President Mohammed Morsi will be replaced.
Cheers erupted among millions of protesters nationwide who were demanding Morsi’s ouster.
The military earlier today moved to tighten its control of key institutions. It did so with the passing of a deadline it had set for Morsi to meet the demands of protesters calling for him to leave office. Just before the deadline arrived, Morsi vowed again not to step down. And he criticized the military for “taking only one side.”
Soon after the deadline passed, a military helicopter circled over the anti-Morsi crowds in Cairo’s central Tahrir square — which had become a sea of furiously waving Egyptian flags. The crowd chanted for Morsi to “leave.” After nightfall, fireworks went off, and green lasers flashed over the crowd.
More from Cairo: Reporter Kimberly Adams and historian Khaled Fahmy
play pause Egypt’s Military Deposes President Morsi / mute unmute
Guests:
- Kimberly Adams, reporter based in Cairo.
- David Kirkpatrick, Cairo bureau chief and Mideast correspondent for the New York Times. He tweets @kirkpatricknyt.
- Michael Wahid Hanna, senior fellow at The Century Foundation. He tweets @mwhanna1.
Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. 9(MDA4NjIwNTkwMDEzMjI4NDY0MjY4ZTBlNA004))