Mubarak Resigns As President Of Egypt

Mubarak Resigns As President Of Egypt

Egypt 's President Hosni Mubarak has stepped down and has left the capital, Cairo on Friday.

Vice President Omar Suleiman announced on state television that President Mubarak has resigned and immediately the protesters who have mounted pressure on him to step down in the past 18 days went into jubilation.

Egyptians are ecstatic with celebration of Mubarak's exit on Friday and they are with high sense of dignity and pride, highly excited about the outcome of the revolution.

Reports had earlier said Mubarak left Cairo for the Egyptian resort of Sham El Sheik on Friday with members of his family.

Egyptians across all walks of life are now jubilating across cities and towns, seeing an end to their resentment against Mubarak's 30- year rule.

Army Council takes over

The council of the armed forces has taken over the leadership of the country and its affairs.

The council convened on Thursday and Friday under the leadership of Defence Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Tantawi.

Call for council

Political activist, Mohamed ElBaradei had called for a government of national unity.

ElBaradei, who has returned to Egypt after years abroad and now runs a liberal political movement, called for the creation of a three-member presidential council and a government of national unity including technocrats of undisputed credibility.

“Free and fair elections should be held after a one-year transition period, by which time a new constitution could be drawn up," he said.

ElBaradei said it was too soon to say whether he would run for president.

“My top priority is for Egypt to become a democracy in which social justice prevails. This is not a question of individuals, but rather of change of government. It is not a question of who leads the country, but how he leads the country,” he said.

Aljazeera/Reuters/Yinka