Egypt: death of Marshal Tantawi, Minister of Defense of Mubarak
Egyptian Marshal Mohamed Hussein Tantawi, former Minister of Defense, died at the age of 85 on September 21, 2021. AFP - AMR NABIL
Text by: RFI Follow
1 min
Marshal Mohamed Hussein Tantawi, who practically presided over Egypt in the crucial period from 2011 to 2012, died on Tuesday, September 21 at the age of 85.
Tantawi was Minister of Defense during the January 25, 2011 popular uprising against President Hosni Mubarak.
Advertising
Read more
With our correspondent in Cairo,
Alexandre Buccianti
Despite his discretion, Marshal Tantawi played a key role in the downfall of former President Hosni Mubarak.
It was under his command that the army observed neutrality during the occupation of Tahrir Square by the demonstrators demanding the departure of Moubark.
Better, the army discreetly defended the demonstrators against the aggressive tendencies of the supporters of the former president.
It was he who, on the night of February 10 to 11, demanded the withdrawal of Hosni Mubarak in favor of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces bringing together the heads of the various military branches.
He thus became the
de facto
president
of
Egypt.
►
To read: Archives of Africa - Egypt: Hosni Mubarak facing the Islamist threat (3 & 4)
Discarded in favor of al-Sisi
It was under his supervision that the Muslim Brotherhood won the legislative and then presidential elections.
In August 2012, however, it was President Mohamed Morsi who removed Marshal Tantawi from the Ministry of Defense to replace him with General Abdel Fattah al-Sisi.
A fatal decision for the Muslim Brotherhood, excluded from power less than a year later.
►
To read also: Egypt: national funeral for Jihane el-Sadat, the widow of the assassinated president
Newsletter
Receive all international news directly in your mailbox
I subscribe
Follow all the international news by downloading the RFI application
google-play-badge_FR
Egypt
Hosni Mubarak
Mohamed morsi
Abdel Fattah al-Sissi
On the same subject
Egypt: national funeral for Jihane al-Sadat, widow of assassinated president