Tanks deployed outside Egyptian presidential palace

At least four tanks and three carriers were deployed outside the presidential palace on Thursday. Cairo says the army deployment is to secure the building.

    At least six people have been killed in the violent clashes and more than 350 others injured since Wednesday.


The clashes broke out when protesters on both sides began throwing rocks and Molotov cocktails.

Three of Morsi’s advisors, Amr al-Laythi, Seif Abdel Fattah and Ayman al-Sayyad announced their resignations following the deadly clashes.

The latest resignations bring to six the number of advisors who have quit the president’s panel of 17 advisors since November 22.

Morsi issued a decree on November 22 declaring that no judicial body can dissolve the Constituent Assembly, which was writing the draft of the constitution.

The decree allows the president to take “any decision or measure to protect the revolution.” It also makes decisions and laws issued by the president “final and not subject to appeal.”

Since the controversial decree was issued, thousands of people have staged massive demonstrations in Cairo and a number of other Egyptian cities in protest against the president’s move and the speedy adoption of a draft constitution.

On November 30, the Constituent Assembly approved the final draft of the new constitution.

The president announced that a referendum on the new constitution will be held on December 15. The opposition has boycotted the referendum.