Armed forces chief General Abdel-Fatah al-Sisi, suspended the constitution and would nominate the head of the constitutional court, Adli Mansour, as interim president on Thursday, reports The Guardian. Elections are expected to follow shortly.
A statement on the former president’s Twitter and Facebook accounts labelled the military move a “full coup”, after Morsi was officially deposed from office at 7pm.
However Sisi said the coup was what the Egyptian people wanted.
“We will build an Egyptian society that is strong and stable, that will not exclude any one of its sons,” he said to a panel of Egyptians representing what was intended to be full spectrum of Egyptian life, including the Coptic pope, the country’s most senior Muslim cleric, and leading secular politician Mohamed ElBaradei.
A Muslim Brotherhood spokesman said Morsi was being held by the authorities and arrest warrants have been issued for 300 other Brotherhood members.
At least 14 people were killed when Morsi opponents and supporters clashed after the army’s announcement.
Image via Getty
