Mohamed Morsi, Hussein Tantawi and Sami Anan Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi has fired the Defence Minister Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi, according to a presidential spokesman on Sunday. No explanation has so far been given although firefights have occured throughout the day in the Sinai area between Egyptian forces and militant groups. Sources close to Hilary Clinton had earlier reported on plans to strengthen US-Egypt links to combat extremists in the region bordering Gaza.
President Morsi, who was elected in June, is a member of the Muslim Brotherhood. Following the election relations with the military have been tense with the military dissolving parliament in an attempt to stop Morsi and the MB movement which was outlawed under previous President Mubarak. The military council, under General Tantawi\'s leadership had also stripped the presidency of many of its powers.
Egyptian Armed Forces Chief Of Staff Sami Anan was also released from his role during a soldier graduation ceremony in a move officially labeled as \"forced retirement\" which translates to being sacked while retaining benefits such as pensions. While they have lost their powerful positions Sami Anan and Hussein Tantawi have been kept on as \"special advisors\", Sami Anan was also awarded the Order of the Republic. Abdel-Fattah Khalil El-Sissy  has been named as both the new defence minister and commander in chief of Egyptian armed force, Morsi also took the opportunity to announce senior judge Mahmoud Mekki as Vice President.
This is likely to be seen by many as a power move by the president to consolidate control as President Morsi cancels the constitutional amendments by the military which gave them wide and occasionally overruling powers. The move comes  in the face the new strain on the military caused by operations in Sinai and the death of 16 border security staff on August 5.