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1st July 2013, 03:03 PM
Egypt's military gives Morsi 48-hour ultimatum, threatens to interveneLIVE VIDEO — Protesters gather in Tahrir Square in downtown Cairo, Egypt.
By Ayman Mohyeldin, Charlene Gubash and Ian Johnston, NBC News
CAIRO - Egypt’s military on Monday said mass protests calling for the resignation of Islamist President Mohammed Morsi were an “unprecedented” expression of the will of the people and gave the government 48 hours to meet the opposition's demands.
In a statement read on state television just hours after the headquarters of Morsi’s Muslim Brotherhood movement were ransacked, General Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said if this did not happen the army would intervene.
The protesters' main demands are that Morsi announce early elections and step down, allowing a temporary government to take over.
"If the demands of the people are not realized within the defined period, it will be incumbent upon (the armed forces)... to announce a road map for the future,” the statement said. It was followed by patriotic music.
Protesters attacked and stormed the headquarters of the Muslim Brotherhood in Cairo, calling for Egypt's president Mohammed Morsi to step down. NBC's Ayman Mohyeldin reports.
The road map would be created by the army, which would also oversee the plan's implementation, the statement said.
It was unclear if the military was effectively demanding Morsi's resignation and a Muslim Brotherhood politician insisted there would not be "a coup."
On his Facebook page Monday, Morsi said he was meeting with the general al-Sisi as well as the prime minister. What they discussed was not disclosed.
Sixteen people were killed and more than 700 were wounded during the protests Sunday and early Monday.
The military statement stressed that the military would remain neutral in politics and maintain its role as protector of the people and the nation’s borders.
The statement said the military will "not be a party in politics or rule."
But it added the armed forces had a responsibility to act because Egypt's national security was facing a "grave danger."
A source at Egypt's presidential palace said Morsi's office was not told in advance that the 48-hour ultimatum would be issued.
In Cairo's Tahrir Square, the vast crowd began to chant that the army and the people were one after al-Sisi's address. Army helicopters circled over the city flying Egyptian flags.
By Ayman Mohyeldin, Charlene Gubash and Ian Johnston, NBC News
CAIRO - Egypt’s military on Monday said mass protests calling for the resignation of Islamist President Mohammed Morsi were an “unprecedented” expression of the will of the people and gave the government 48 hours to meet the opposition's demands.
In a statement read on state television just hours after the headquarters of Morsi’s Muslim Brotherhood movement were ransacked, General Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said if this did not happen the army would intervene.
The protesters' main demands are that Morsi announce early elections and step down, allowing a temporary government to take over.
"If the demands of the people are not realized within the defined period, it will be incumbent upon (the armed forces)... to announce a road map for the future,” the statement said. It was followed by patriotic music.
Protesters attacked and stormed the headquarters of the Muslim Brotherhood in Cairo, calling for Egypt's president Mohammed Morsi to step down. NBC's Ayman Mohyeldin reports.
The road map would be created by the army, which would also oversee the plan's implementation, the statement said.
It was unclear if the military was effectively demanding Morsi's resignation and a Muslim Brotherhood politician insisted there would not be "a coup."
On his Facebook page Monday, Morsi said he was meeting with the general al-Sisi as well as the prime minister. What they discussed was not disclosed.
Sixteen people were killed and more than 700 were wounded during the protests Sunday and early Monday.
The military statement stressed that the military would remain neutral in politics and maintain its role as protector of the people and the nation’s borders.
The statement said the military will "not be a party in politics or rule."
But it added the armed forces had a responsibility to act because Egypt's national security was facing a "grave danger."
A source at Egypt's presidential palace said Morsi's office was not told in advance that the 48-hour ultimatum would be issued.
In Cairo's Tahrir Square, the vast crowd began to chant that the army and the people were one after al-Sisi's address. Army helicopters circled over the city flying Egyptian flags.