Egyptian President Mohammad Mursi ordered the powerful Army chief and his No 2 to retire, as he annulled an constitutional amendment issued by the generals.

Egyptian President Mohammad Mursi ordered the powerful Army chief and his No 2 to retire, as he annulled an constitutional amendment issued by the generals.

Tantawi

State television Mursi has sent Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi as well as the second-in-command General Sami Anan into retirement.
Tantawi, who is also defense minister in the new government which was announced recently, ruled Egypt for more than a year after the revolution that toppled former president Hosni Mubarak.

Field Marshall Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi was appointed minister of defence and general commander of the Egyptian forces replacing 76-year-old Tantawi, Presidential spokesperson Yasser Ali announced in a televised statement.

The President also annulled a constitutional addendum that was issued by the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) on June 17 under which the Army took control of legislative powers and limited the president's powers, after a Supreme Court verdict dismissed the elected parliament.

The shock announcement over state television came amid an ongoing military operation in Sinai, where 16 soldiers were killed in an attack by militants last week.