After tensions reached a high in the last 24 hours, The New York Times reports that Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi has been ousted by the country's military, according to Egyptian media sources. Despite Morsi's insistence that he would not step down (even at the expense of his own life) and the presence of thousands of supporters in Cairo's Tahrir Square, the military initiated a coup at the presidential palace this evening. This comes after Morsi missed a previously imposed deadline to address a number of concerns that have dogged his one-year presidency both on the behalf of the military and the general public.
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It's still not entirely clear where Morsi is, but his senior policy advisor Essam el-Haddad wrote this afternoon on his official site: “As I write these lines I am fully aware that these may be the last lines I get to post on this page. For the sake of Egypt and for historical accuracy, let’s call what is happening by its real name: Military coup.” The military has since provided an initial road map that includes a suspension of the constitution — to which protestors reacted with celebration and fireworks displays. (The New York Times)
Image: Via The New York Times.