Defense Minister Abdel Fattah El-Sisi met with the Supreme Council of Armed Forces (SCAF) on Wednesday to submit his resignation as defense minister, Aswat Masriya quoted state-run Al-Ahram newspaper as saying.
A source told the state newspaper that the top army chief is resigning in order to officially announce his intention to run for the upcoming presidency.
Egypt is expecting a presidential election in the first half of this year.