Latest reports:
Ousted president Mohammed Morsi’s arrest has been extended to 30 days, said Egyptian news agency MENA.
Morsi was taken into custody July 26. He was accused of several of espionage and treason, prison breaks during mass anti-government protests in 2011 as well as conspiring with the Palestinian Hamas group.
Timeline of events in Egypt starting June 30, 2013
June 30
On the day of one-year anniversary of Islamist President Mohammed Morsi assuming office, oppositionists initiated large-scale anti-governmental protests, demanding Morsi’s resignation. Over 17 million Egyptians took to the streets that day; their numbers reached 4 million in Cairo.
July 1
National Salvation Front and Federation of Independent Trade Unions provoke an all-out strike. In a radio address to the nation, Minister of Defense and Military Production Abdel Fattah el-Sisi issued an ultimatum to Egypt’s political decision makers, demanding to resolve all issues in 48 hours. Egypt’s military took over all airborne and maritime traffic. At that time, clashes between supporters and opponents of the Islamist president claimed 16 lives; over 700 were injured.
July 2
Large-scale rallies supporting Morsi and demanding his resignation swept Egypt
Mohammed Morsi overthrown
July 3
In a televised address, President Morsi announced his determination to stay in office and proposed to “start a extensive dialogue.“ His proposal fell on deaf ears. As the ultimatum expired, Egypt’s military ousted the president and took over the government. Head of the Supreme Constitutional Court Adly Mansour was appointed interim President. A transition period of six months has been declared; national constitution adopted in 2012 was rendered inactive.
July 4
Adly Mansour took oath as Egypt’s interim president.
July 5
Constitutional declaration was issued, dismissing Egypt’s upper house of parliament Shura Council. Adly Mansour was granted legislative powers. African union froze Egypt’s membership in the organization until the country returns to constitutional law.
July 9
Mohamed ElBaradei, coordinator of National Salvation Front, former Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, named as Deputy Prime Minister. Hazem Al Beblawi, former Finance Minister of Egypt, is appointed as the interim Prime Minister.
July 16
Hazem Al Beblawi’s cabinet was sworn in.
Large-scale protest resume
Mid-July Rabaa al-Adaweya square in Cairo transformed into a makeshift camp for supporters of the ousted preside Mohammed Morsi. Protesters demanded Morsi to be released from detainment.
July 26
Defense Minister Abdel Fattah el-Sisi called for nation-wide rallies to support armed forces and take a stance against terrorism. Despite promises made by the armed forces to protect demonstrators, clashes with Morsi sympathizers ensued. By July 27 violence in Cairo and Alexandria claimed 80 lives.
July 28
Adly Mansour granted Prime Minister Hazem Al Beblawi expended authority under the state of emergency law. The prime minister was given power to issue decrees under three articles of emergency law. United Nations estimated that by the end of July, 150 people were killed in violent clashes across Egypt.
Seeking a compromise
August 4
Egypt’s Defense Minister and First Deputy Prime Minister Abdel Fattah el-Sisi met with leaders of Islamist movements in order to discuss cessation of mass protests by Morsi supporters.
August 5
Egypt’s Prosecutor General has authorized a group of Western and Arab mediators to meet with improsoned Khairat el-Shater, a leading member of the Muslim Brotherhood and Freedom and Justice Party Chairman Saad Al-Katatni. The international delegation included US Deputy Secretary of State William Burns, European Union delegate, Bernardino Leon and Foreign Ministers of United Arab Emirates and Qatar.
August 7
Adly Mansour’s administration announced failure of diplomatic efforts to find peaceful resolution of Egypt’s political crisis. Throughout July and August EU Foreign Policy Chief Catherine Ashton, African Union delegation headed by former Mali President Oumar Konaré, US Deputy Secretary of State William Burns and American senators John McCain and Lindsey Graham visited the country, proposing their vision for crisis resolution. United States and the European Union proposed a conflict roadmap to find a way out of the current crisis; African Union and Turkey participated in this initiative.
Conflict escalation
August 8
Islamist started erecting a cement wall near the Rabaa al-Adaweya mosque in Cairo, with local residents calling it the “new Bar Lev Line,” referring to the Israeli fortifications built on the eastern coast of the Suez Canal ahead of the Yom Kippur War of 1973 (also known as the Fourth Arab–Israeli War).
August 11
Muslim Brotherhood declared mobilization of its supporters after the current Egyptian government announced plans to disperse the Brotherhood’s rally in Cairo.
August 14
Egypt’s Interior Ministry launched a large-scale operation to disperse Muslim Brotherhood’s protest camps. Muslim Brotherhood figurehead Mohamed al-Beltagi was detained. The conflict has escalated nation-wide, with law enforcements and Islamists clashing in Cairo, Alexandria, Suez, Al Minya, El Faiyum and other provinces. Islamists launched attacks on police stations and governmental offices and set fire to Coptic and Greek churches. Railway communication has been halted, Egyptian exchange, banks and currency exchange points were shut down. Initial reports from Egypt’s Health Ministry indicated that 56 people were killed with over 500 injured. Muslim Brotherhood claimed that clashes resulted in 2200 casualties and over 10,000 injured. Curfew enacted in 14 provinces.
August 15
Health Ministry issued updated figures, estimating 525 casualties out of which over 50 were police officers. Egyptians were shocked by footage broadcast by national television channels depicting brutal massacre of law enforcements by extremist insurgents: Islamists obliterated a police station in Cairo suburbs, killing all police officers within. According to local reports, the Rabaa al-Adaweya mosque in Cairo has been burned down. Ousted president Mohammed Morsi’s arrest has been extended to 30 days. During the funeral of a Hurghada resident killed in clashes resulted in more violence, according to Al Hayat TV. An attempt to set fire to the Giza province administration was thwarted by Cairo law enforcements.
Shark-el-Sheikh, a resort city on the shores of the Red Sea will be excluded from the curfew imposed a day earlier as requested by Egypt’s Minister of Tourism Hisham Zazou, Alyoum Alsabea reported.
Islamists blocked Cairo’s circular highway, which has caused severe traffic congestion.
Egypt’s Interior Ministry officially approves live ammo use by personnel as means of defense against protestors attacking police stations and public property.
August 16
The day dubbed by Islamists “Friday of Rage”. A mass pro-Moris rally was held on the Ramses square. King of Saudi Arabia Abdullah bin Abdulaziz called for Arab nations to “stand together against attempts to destabilize Egypt.” His sentiment was supported by Jordan, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates and Bahrain.
August 17
Egypt’s military took back Al-Fath mosque in Cairo's Ramses Square. Previously its minaret was used by Islamist militants to fire at military cordons. Violence spread through the city with militants attempting to shoot down an army helicopter; rocket launchers were used during an assault on governmental buildings in Arish. Morsi supporters marched through Alexandria, Faiyum and Beni Suef. Ahmed el-Tayeb, Grand Imam of al-Azhar and president of al-Azhar University, urged members of the Muslim Brotherhood to cease bloodshe.
Egypt’s Interior Ministry reported arrests of over one thousand members of the Brotherhood, including one of the movement’s leaders, Muhammad al-Zawahiri.
August 18
Hazem Al Beblawi, Egypt’s Prime Minister, decided to consider disbanding the Muslim Brotherhood. Interior Ministry has banned “people’s militia” created to combat Islamist militants, claiming their actions were illegal. Defense Minister Abdel Fattah el-Sisi declared that “Egypt will not be brought to its knees and will not bow before dictates and threats.”
August 19
Militants destroyed a police minibus with rocket launchers on Sinai Peninsula, killing 24 and injuring 2 officers. During curfew, Tamer Abdel-Raouf, manager of the Al-Ahram newspaper office in Beheira Governorate was killed. Mohammed Morsi’s arrest was increased by 15 days due to new charges: “incitement of violence.”
Ban Ki-moon, Secretary-General of the United Nations, urged Egyptian leaders to stop violence and declared UN’s willingness to accelerate reconciliation.
An emergency meeting of EU foreign ministers was scheduled to be held this week. The European Union intends to introduce an embargo on delivery of arms, police equipment and dual-use technology to Egypt.
August 20
Muslim Brotherhood's Supreme Guide Muhammad Badie, 70, was arrested and detained at the Tora maximum security prison in the outskirts of Cairo. Muslim Brotherhood appointed Mahmoud Ezzat as interim leader.
Since August 14 over 900 people died in Egypt as a result of nation-wide clashes. 40 Christian shrines were burnt down and raided.