BRITS have been warned not to travel to Egypt as deadly political unrest
continues to grip the country.
A spokesman for the Muslim Brotherhood, to which President Mohammed Morsi
belongs, tweeted that a “full military coup” was under way.
Reports say the military has issued a travel ban on Mr Morsi and two of his
most senior aides.
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) is recommending against all but
essential travel to Egypt following widespread protests.
At least 23 people have been killed and more than 200 injured following
clashes between supporters of Mr Morsi and those who want him removed.
The FCO is advising against travel to all regions in the country except
resorts on the Red Sea in South Sinai and those resorts on the Egyptian
mainland in the Red Sea governorate.
Red Sea resorts in the entire region of Sharm el Sheikh, Taba, Nuweiba and
Dahab have no travel restriction warnings.
The FCO also deems safe the St Catherine’s Monastery World Heritage Site, road
travel between and from Red Sea resorts to the monastery approaching from
the east, and transfers between the resorts and airports of Taba and Sharm
el Sheikh.
An FCO spokesman said: “Although we are not recommending immediate departure
at the moment, British nationals already in Egypt in areas where we advise
against all but essential travel should consider whether they have a
pressing need to remain.
“While in Egypt they should stay at or close to home or a place of safety (eg
their hotel), keep a low profile and pay close attention to their personal
safety, particularly in the larger cities.
“They should take particular care to avoid crowds. The situation is
changeable and they should continue to watch our travel advice closely.”
There are no warnings against the use of Cairo airport as a transit stop,
providing travellers do not leave the airport grounds, the FCO said.
Morsi, who a year ago was inaugurated as Egypt’s first freely-elected
president, last night rejected an ultimatum by the army that the country’s
leadership crisis be resolved by today, pledging to protect his
“constitutional legitimacy” with his life.
His vow not to resign came hours before a deadline to yield to the demands of
millions of protesters or see the military install a new leadership.
Fighting broke out at rival protests throughout last night with at least 16
pro-Morsi protesters killed at Cairo University.
The nation’s armed forces say they will shed their own blood to defend Egypt
from “any terrorist, radical or fool”.
Morsi though has said he is Egypt’s legitimate leader and will not give in to “violence
and thuggery” by quitting.
He blamed the violence and unrest on the corruption of the ousted regime of
Hosni Mubarak.
The army had set a deadline of 4.30pm GMT today for Morsi to deal with the
protest.
If not, the army’s plan would suspend the Islamist-backed constitution,
dissolve the Islamist-dominated legislature and set up an interim
administration headed by the country’s chief justice.
The leaking of the military’s so-called political “road map” appeared aimed at
adding pressure on Morsi by showing the public and the international
community that the military has a plan that does not involve a coup.
On his official Twitter account, Morsi urged the armed forces “to withdraw
their ultimatum” and said he rejects any domestic or foreign dictates.
In the 46-minute speech yesterday, he implicitly warned the military against
removing him, saying such action will “backfire on its perpetrators”.
The army has insisted it has no intention to take power.
But the reported road map showed it was ready to replace Morsi and make a
sweeping change in the ramshackle political structure that has evolved since
Mubarak’s fall in February 2011.
The constitution and domination of the legislature after elections held in
late 2011 to early-2012 are two of the Islamists’ and Brotherhood’s most
valued victories – along with Morsi’s election last year.
At least one anti-Morsi TV station put up a clock counting down to the end of
the military’s ultimatum, putting it at 4 pm. Wednesday, though a countdown
clock posted online by Morsi opponents put the deadline at 5 pm. The
military did not give a precise hour.