Egyptians protest in Cairo’s Tahrir Square, demanding President Mohammed Morsi’s ousting. AFP
Egyptians protest in Cairo’s Tahrir Square, demanding President Mohammed Morsi’s ousting. AFP

2013 - El-Sisi takes control of Egypt from Morsi

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Updated 19 April 2025
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2013 - El-Sisi takes control of Egypt from Morsi

2013 - El-Sisi takes control of Egypt from Morsi
  • The military ousted the Islamist president after four days of mass protests, marking start of a new chapter for Egypt

CAIRO: Throughout history, there have been moments that serve to reshape the destiny of nations and set their course for decades to come. 

July 3, 2013, was one such turning point, for Egypt. It marked the end of Muslim Brotherhood rule after the group had introduced exclusionary policies that failed to represent the majority of the diversity within Egyptian society or to ensure the legitimacy of President Mohammed Morsi during his first year in power. 

This new chapter in the political and social history of Egyptians began when the military stepped in and took over, led by Gen. Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, who was defense minister at the time and became president the following year. 

When President Hosni Mubarak was ousted on Feb. 11, 2011, after weeks of public protests, Egypt entered a turbulent transitional phase marked by intense political competition. Amid the chaos, the Muslim Brotherhood, which had operated in the shadows for decades, successfully presented itself as a ready and desirable alternative.

The Islamist group secured successive electoral victories, first gaining a parliamentary majority, then control of the Shura Council, and finally, in June 2012, the presidency when Morsi triumphed in the country’s first democractic election following the revolution. 

His victory marked not merely a transfer of power, it was the beginning of full-scale Brotherhood dominance over the Egyptian state. While Morsi had promised to head a government “for all Egyptians,” his policies suggested otherwise. 

How we wrote it




Arab News led with Chief Justice Adly Mansour’s plea to “safeguard the revolution” following Morsi’s removal.

He swiftly took steps, for example, to dismantle traditional state institutions and replace officials with Brotherhood loyalists, destroying political and social balances that had been established over decades. Critics at the time accused him of allowing Islamists to monopolise the political arena, concentrating power in the hands of his affiliated group. 

The defining moment of the Brotherhood’s rule was a constitutional declaration by Morsi in November 2012 granting himself far-reaching powers and shielding his decisions from judicial oversight. This declaration sparked widespread anger among Egyptians, who saw the move as the foundation of a dictatorship under the guise of religious legitimacy. 

Public outrage continued to grow, resulting in mass public protests, yet the Brotherhood pressed ahead with its plans, backed by alliances with Islamist factions while excluding other political and societal groups, including liberals, leftists and even state institutions. 

The Brotherhood’s ambitions extended beyond political dominance to the infiltration of key state institutions, including the security forces, judiciary, media and even the economic sector. It prioritized the appointment of loyalists to influential positions over professionals who did not belong to their ranks. 

At the same time, it imposed a rigid social agenda that disregarded Egypt’s diverse cultural and intellectual fabric. Many Egyptians sensed an attempt to reshape Egyptian identity in service of an ideological project that did not represent them. This prompted accusations that Morsi was failing to deal with the very issues that led to the revolution that brought him to power: calls to guarantee rights and social justice. 

These policies could not continue without facing a backlash. The wave of public dissent gradually swelled, culminating in the emergence of the Tamarod (meaning rebellion) movement, which gathered millions of signatures from people demanding the removal of Morsi from power. 

Key Dates

  • 1

    Hosni Mubarak steps down after 18 days of mass protests that began in Tahrir Square and spread across Egypt.

    Timeline Image Feb. 11, 2011

  • 2

    Muslim Brotherhood candidate Mohammed Morsi becomes Egypt’s president, after narrow victory in first democratic election after the revolution.

    Timeline Image June 24, 2012

  • 3

    Morsi issues controversial decree exempting himself from judicial supervision and shielding the Constituent Assembly and Shura Council from dissolution.

  • 4

    Morsi rejects opposition calls for his resignation and early presidential election, as millions take to streets nationwide in protest.

    Timeline Image June 30, 2013

  • 5

    Defense minister Gen. Abdel Fattah El-Sisi urges Morsi’s government to resolve the political crisis within 48 hours or face military intervention.

    Timeline Image July 1, 2013

  • 6

    In televised speech, El-Sisi announces ouster of Morsi, suspends the constitution and appoints Supreme Constitutional Court Chief Justice Adly Mansour as interim president. Morsi denounces the move as “military coup.”

    Timeline Image July 3, 2013

  • 7

    El-Sisi declared president of Egypt.

    Timeline Image June 8, 2014

Calls for public demonstrations led to mass protests on June 30, 2013, during which millions of Egyptians took to the streets to demand an end to Brotherhood rule. The protests served as a de facto referendum on the legitimacy of the regime, and clearly revealed waning public support for the Brotherhood as its political project failed to build a consensus. 

As the protests escalated and the leadership of the Brotherhood refused to acknowledge the overwhelming public opposition, the military, led by El-Sisi, intervened amid mounting calls for the army and police to take swift action to save the country from the threat of plunging into civil war. 

On July 3, 2013, after an ultimatum for Morsi to resolve the political crisis and meet public demands within 48 hours had passed without any such action, El-Sisi announced the removal of the president from power and the temporary suspension of the 2012 constitution. 

“The Armed Forces, based on its insightfulness, has been called by the Egyptian people for help, not to hold the reins of power, yet to discharge its civil responsibility and answer demands of responsibility,” El-Sisi said during a televised speech. “This is the message received by the Egyptian Armed Forces and heard in all of the country. 

The army had called for national dialogue, he added, but this plea was rejected by the presidency. 

The Brotherhood and their supporters denounced the intervention as a “military coup,” while the opposition described it a response to the demands of the public after millions of Egyptians had taken to the streets in protest. 




People celebrate at Tahrir Square after a broadcast by the head of the Egyptian military, Gen. Abdel Fattah, confirming that the military will temporarily take over from President Mohamed Morsi on July 3, 2013 in Cairo. AFP

Despite the decades spent building the organisation and expanding its influence, the downfall of the Brotherhood was shockingly swift. Some factions that initially supported the organization, including certain Salafist groups, abandoned it upon realizing the extent of the public resentment. 

In the days that followed July 3, the Brotherhood attempted to regroup through mass sit-ins at Rabaa Al-Adawiya and Nahda squares. However, these protests soon turned into hubs of armed resistance, leading to violent clashes with security forces. Over time, following a crackdown on the group, which was declared to be a terrorist organization, the ability of the Brotherhood to mobilize dwindled. 

The removal of the Brotherhood from power was not the end of the challenges Egypt was confronted with, but the beginning of a new phase filled with obstacles. The country faced major economic and security hurdles, including an upsurge in violence by Islamist insurgents and the need to rebuild institutions to restore economic stability. 

The rejection of the Brotherhood was not merely opposition to a political party; it represented the rejection of an ideology that aimed to impose a restrictive vision on a society known for its pluralism and diversity. 

The fall of the Brotherhood was testament to the nation’s desire and will to ensure Egypt remains a country for all its citizens, not just a single faction.

  • Dr. Abdellatif El-Menawy, a columnist for Arab News, is a critically acclaimed multimedia journalist and writer who has covered conflicts worldwide. 


Pakistani religiopolitical party to organize anti-Israel ‘million march’ in Hyderabad today

Pakistani religiopolitical party to organize anti-Israel ‘million march’ in Hyderabad today
Updated 4 min ago
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Pakistani religiopolitical party to organize anti-Israel ‘million march’ in Hyderabad today

Pakistani religiopolitical party to organize anti-Israel ‘million march’ in Hyderabad today
  • Jamiat Ulama-e-Islam Pakistan party says caravans of supporters arriving in Hyderabad from all over Sindh 
  • Protest takes place in backdrop of surging tensions Middle East tensions amid Iran-Israel military conflict

KARACHI: A leading religiopolitical party, Jamiat Ulama-e-Islam Pakistan, (JUI-F) announced it would organize a “million march” in the southern city of Hyderabad against Israel today, Sunday, to express solidarity with the people of Palestine. 

The march will take place as tensions in the Middle East surged late Friday night after Israel attacked Iran’s nuclear facilities and military leadership. Iran’s prominent nuclear scientists and the chief of its Revolutionary Guards paramilitary force were killed in the attack, which Tehran said claimed 78 lives and injured over 300. 

Iran has since then conducted retaliatory strikes against Israel. So far, at least nine people in Israel have been killed and over 300 others injured since Friday, as per media reports. 

In a statement released to the media, a JUI-F spokesperson said the party’s caravans from all over the southern Sindh province are gathering at Hyderabad’s Qasim Chowk venue for the protest. 

“A strong protest will be held against Israel and solidarity will be expressed with the Palestinians,” the statement said. 

Israel has killed over 55,000 Palestinians in Gaza since Oct. 7, 2023, as per the Gaza Health Ministry. Israeli forces have destroyed vast areas of the territory and displaced about 90 percent of Gazans.

In recent weeks, more than half of Gaza has been transformed into a military buffer zone that includes the now mostly uninhabited southern city of Rafah.

Israel’s war on Gaza has incited anger in various countries across the world, including Pakistan. Various civil rights organizations and political parties such as the Jamaat-e-Islami, have held large gatherings in Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad and other parts of the country to denounce Israel’s military campaigns in the Middle East. 

JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman will address participants of the rally, the party said. 

“Strict security arrangements are in place in Hyderabad,” the statement said. “Supporters gathered at the Qasim Chowk venue are highly enthusiastic.”

Israel says it attacked Iran in a bid to discourage the Islamic country from developing nuclear weapons. Israel sees Iran’s nuclear program as a threat to its existence. It said the bombardment was designed to avert the last steps to the production of a nuclear weapon.

Tehran insists the program is entirely civilian and that it does not seek an atomic bomb. The UN nuclear watchdog, however, reported Iran this week as violating obligations under the global non-proliferation treaty.

Pakistan has criticized Israel in strong words and repeatedly said Iran has the right to retaliate under the United Nations Charter. Islamabad has also vowed to offer diplomatic support to Iran at international forums. 
 


Iran says Israel attack on Gulf gas facility attempt ‘to expand war’

Iran says Israel attack on Gulf gas facility attempt ‘to expand war’
Updated 8 min 55 sec ago
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Iran says Israel attack on Gulf gas facility attempt ‘to expand war’

Iran says Israel attack on Gulf gas facility attempt ‘to expand war’

TEHRAN: Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Sunday Israel’s attack on a major gas facility on the shore of the Gulf sought “to expand the war beyond” Iran.
“Dragging the conflict into the Arabian Gulf region is a major strategic mistake, likely deliberate and intended to extend the war beyond Iranian territory,” Araghchi told foreign diplomats, referring to the attack on the South Pars refinery, adding that that attack was “an extremely dangerous move.”


Jordan reopens airspace after overnight Israel-Iran attacks

Jordan reopens airspace after overnight Israel-Iran attacks
Updated 41 min 6 sec ago
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Jordan reopens airspace after overnight Israel-Iran attacks

Jordan reopens airspace after overnight Israel-Iran attacks

AMMAN: Jordan announced the reopening of its airspace Sunday morning after a night of attacks by arch-foes Israel and Iran.
The civil aviation authority in Jordan, which borders Israel, said in a statement that the country’s airspace had been reopened “for civilian flights following a careful risk assessment.”
The kingdom had closed the airspace late Saturday, its second closure since the start of the most intense direct confrontation between Israel and Iran.


Police say one ‘critically injured’ in shooting at US protest

Police say one ‘critically injured’ in shooting at US protest
Updated 45 min 32 sec ago
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Police say one ‘critically injured’ in shooting at US protest

Police say one ‘critically injured’ in shooting at US protest

WASHINGTON: A shooting at a protest against President Donald Trump’s policies in the western state of Utah left one person with “life-threatening injuries,” police said, adding that three others were taken into custody.
Police said the incident occurred around 8:00 p.m. Saturday (0200 GMT Sunday) in Utah’s capital Salt Lake City during a protest that drew about 10,000 people — one of several “No Kings” demonstrations across the United States rallying against Trump.
“We can confirm the shooting resulted in one person being critically injured. The patient has been taken to a hospital with life-threatening (injuries),” said the Salt Lake City police department in a social media post, adding that they had “a person of interest in custody.”
Police Chief Brian Redd stressed during a news conference that the events leading up to the shooting “were very peaceful,” adding that the first person taken in custody had a gunshot wound and was transported to the hospital.
Two other individuals involved in the incident were also taken into custody, he said.
“At this time, there is... no ongoing threats to the public,” Redd said, adding that it was too early in their investigation to say if the shooting was politically motivated.
City Mayor Erin Mendenhall said “this act of violence does not define” Salt Lake City — a Democratic bastion in the deep-red Republican state of Utah.
“The purpose of today’s demonstration was a powerful and peaceful expression until this event and that cannot be overshadowed or silenced by a single act meant to harm,” she said.
“We are a nation that needs our First Amendment right, we deserve to protest in peace. And what happened today I hope will not silence the voices of the public who deserve to have their voices heard.”


Israel’s goal might be regime change in Iran: Experts

Israel’s goal might be regime change in Iran: Experts
Updated 48 min 57 sec ago
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Israel’s goal might be regime change in Iran: Experts

Israel’s goal might be regime change in Iran: Experts
  • Iran’s leadership will define victory as being its ‘survival’: Middle East Institute senior fellow
  • Ex-US Navy commander: ‘It’s a long shot that they’ll come to the (negotiating) table in the near future’

CHICAGO: Israel’s military assault against Iran could continue for weeks, with the possible goal of regime change, a panel of experts hosted by the Middle East Institute said on Saturday.

Panelists included retired Gen. Joseph L. Votel, former commander of US Central Command; retired Vice Adm. Kevin Donegan, former commander of the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet; and Alex Vatanka, MEI senior fellow and Iran specialist who also teaches at the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio.

Vatanka said it is too early to determine if Israel’s main goal besides crippling Iran’s nuclear program is regime change, but “we might be going in (that) direction.”

He added: “That’s certainly what I think a majority of Iranian officials think that Israel wants. The big unknown in all of this is whether the Israelis somehow can get (US President Donald) Trump to buy into it the way he bought into the initial attack on Iran.”

Israel has launched attacks against an array of Iranian targets, including its military leadership and nuclear program. Tehran has responded by launching missiles and drones at Israel.

The panelists were in agreement in their belief that the conflict would not expand to include other countries.

Iran’s leadership will define victory as being its “survival,” Vatanka said, adding that while Israel has the backing of the US and “most of Europe,” Tehran “isn’t getting any help from anyone.”

He said: “I don’t think they’re getting help from what’s left of the axis of resistance … I question what the axis of resistance members can actually do at this point.”

Its members include Hamas and Hezbollah, which have been severely weakened by Israel’s military, and the Houthis in Yemen. It included Syria until the fall of President Bashar Assad in December.

Donegan said: “I think the question is, does Iran think they’ve done enough in terms of lashing back that they can throw an olive branch to get some talks going again? I think it’s a long shot, to be honest, that they’ll come to the table in the near future.”

Iran could close the Strait of Hormuz, but “the problem with closing Hormuz is they then don’t get the economic benefit of flowing their oil out,” he added.

The end game will be defined by how far Israel intends to go with its war, the panelists said.

“The Americans are playing the good cop here. President Trump has kept the door for diplomacy open,” Vatanka said.

“The Israelis are playing the bad cop, saying, ‘If you don’t give Trump what he wants then we’ll come after you.’”