Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi, Egypt's armed forces chief and defence minister, officially tendered his resignation Thursday in order to run in the country's presidential election, media reported.
Sisi, in civilian attire, tendered the resignation to newly-appointed interim Prime Minister Ibrahim Mahlab during Thursday's cabinet meeting, Xinhua reported citing the official MENA news agency .
On Wednesday, Sisi announced his decision to resign and run in the country's upcoming presidential elections.
The military chief was appointed defence minister in August 2012 by ousted Islamist President Mohamed Morsi, whose removal came at the hands of Sisi in early July 2013 in response to mass protests.
Morsi's loyalists, currently facing a massive security crackdown, look at Sisi as "a traitor" while Sisi's supporters regard him as "a national hero".
