Wednesday, July 3, 2013

Security forces place travel ban on Egypt's Morsi, top Brotherhood officials

Security forces have placed a travel ban on President Morsi and a number of top Muslim Brotherhood officials. A military coup is underway in Egypt, according to President Mohamed Morsi's national security adviser. The adviser stated that he expects army and police violence to remove pro-Mursi demonstrators from the streets of Cairo. A Morsi presidential aide stated that "no military coup can succeed against popular resistance without considerable bloodshed." Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi has offered a consensus government as a way out of the country's crisis, but offered no new compromises. The leader has refused to step down, and instructed the military not to "take sides." The proposed coalition government would include a Prime Minister elected by political powers, according to a presidential statement. The statement added that "the scenario that some parties are trying to impose is rejected by the people." The military ultimatum given to President Mohamed Morsi has come and gone, as hundreds of thousands of people take to the streets. Morsi previously rejected the deadline, which gave him 48 hours to meet the demands of the people before facing army intervention. Just before the afternoon deadline imposed by the military expired, Morsi again rejected army intervention. The leader said that abiding by his electoral legitimacy was the only way to prevent violence. He criticized the military for "taking only one side." "One mistake that cannot be accepted, and I say this as president of all Egyptians, is to take sides," Morsi said in a statement issued by his office. "Justice dictates that the voice of the masses from all squares should be heard." The meeting between Commander-In-Chief of the Egyptian Armed Forces, Abdul Fatah Khalil Al-Sisi, and political forces is still ongoing, Al Arabiya reports. The most important issue being discussed is reportedly that of sending reassuring messages to the Brotherhood's leaders. The two sides seem unwilling to budge, with protesters stating that Morsi and his Brotherhood party are pushing an Islamist agenda on Egypt. The Tamarod movement has called on Egyptians to take to the streets and squares immediately, and to listen to the army's speech.

No comments: