By Craig Whitlock Ernesto Londono & Leila Fadel Washington Post
CAIRO -
President Hosni Mubarak resigned Friday and handed power to the Egyptian military setting off wild celebrations among protesters across the country who had demanded his ouster for the last
18 days.
When the announcement by Vice President Omar Suleiman was broadcast in Cairos Tahrir Square - the protest epicenter - pandemonium broke out as huge throngs of demonstrators realized they had toppled the autocratic ruler of the most populous Arab nation through a largely peaceful revolution.
President Hosni Mubarak has decided to step down as president of Egypt and has assigned the higher council of the armed forces to run the affairs of the country Suleiman said in a brief televised address. May God help everybody.
Cheers could be heard in the streets of Cairo even before Suleiman stopped speaking. And while there was no way to know whether the army would make good on its previous pledges to safeguard democratic elections the crowds were euphoric at the news that Mubaraks 30 years of authoritarian rule were over.
Egypt is free! Egypt is free! they shouted in Tahrir Square. The regime has fallen!
Protesters jumped up and down and pumped their fists. In neighborhoods across Cairo cars braked to a halt and their occupants emerged to hug and kiss each other. They shouted God is great! and Congratulations! as they honked their horns in celebration.
Outside the presidential palace where throngs had gathered protesters erupted in cheers. They embraced cried and waved flags frantically. Some began singing the national anthem.
As Egyptians flowed into Tahrir Square they climbed over barbed wire barricades chanting Freedom! Freedom!
One soldier watching the scene of euphoria said quietly: Im scared. I dont know whats coming.
Monari Ghazal 33 looked elated as he struggled to get into the square. Hosni Mubarak is gone! he said. We did this!
Mubarak and his wife Suzanne left the presidential palace in an affluent Cairo suburb earlier Friday Egyptian state television reported. The Associated Press citing a local official reported that they flew to the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheikh.
Amr Moussa the Arab League secretary general who has emerged as a prominent Egyptian opposition figure said he was optimistic about the resignation although details of how the country is to be run remain to be worked out.
We have achieved what the people wanted he said on CNN. I am optimistic that we will choose the right path for Egypt and the Egyptian people. . . . All of us here in Egypt - old and young north and south women and men - everyone is looking forward to a better future.
Egypts Supreme Council of the Armed Forces includes the top service commanders led by Lt. Gen. Sami Enan the armed forces chief of staff. The council issued a statement earlier Friday pledging to end Egypts state of emergency as soon as the current circumstances are over and to take steps to conduct free and fair presidential elections under amendments to the constitution.
The announcement of Mubaraks resignation came after a series of grudging concessions that failed to mollify protesters who wanted his immediate departure. He announced last week that he would not run for reelection this fall and that his son Gamal Mubarak would not succeed him. Thursday night Mubarak told the nation that he would remain in office but cede some powers to Suleiman. Throngs of people immediately rejected the idea and gathered in public squares across the country their anger and frustration mounting.
Mubarak must go! He is finished! protesters in Tahrir Square shouted. Oh Mubarak be patient! The people will dig your grave.
Friday morning Egypts military chiefs pledged to back Mubaraks decision to remain in office and hand over some powers to Suleiman. The supreme military council said it would guarantee free and honest elections after Mubaraks term expires and a lifting of Egypts 30-year-old state of emergency once calm returned to the streets. The military chiefs encouraged protesters to go home citing the need to return to normal life.
Instead the protests that have raged here for 18 days only grew and there were repeated signs that the soldiers posted on the streets to watch over the demonstrations supported the protesters efforts.
The people and the army are continuing their march together! chanted hundreds of supporters outside al-Ouruba the presidential palace in the affluent Cairo suburb of Heliopolis. Hours later the crowd had swelled to several thousand.
Said Younis a 26-year-old advertising executive said military officers stationed at the palace offered their sympathy and support providing tea and juice to the handful of protesters who pulled an all-night vigil.
They told us Dont worry we will never fire on you he said.
Outside the palace gate some protesters appealed to soldiers across the tangle of barbed wire to join their cause.
Im with you! one officer shouted back.
Then come to this side! one woman demanded.
Some soldiers hung posters showing protesters killed during crackdowns in the first days of the demonstrations. As the posters--which demonstrators have used to rally people to their cause--went up thousands in the crowd began clapping wildly.
On the Mediterranean coast massive crowds packed public squares in Alexandria Egypts second-largest city jeering Mubarak and insisting that he resign. Protests also erupted in Suez where crowds surrounded 10 government buildings according to the Egyptian news Web site al-Ahram Online. Large demonstrations were also reported in the cities of Tanta Mahalla and Assuit.
In Tahrir Square the epicenter of the demonstrations scores of thousands prostrated themselves to the muezzins midday prayer call many of them weeping.
Parts of the square grew so packed that it was difficult to walk around. Soldiers in riot gear manned entrances but did not stop those who were streaming in. Dozens of ambulances were parked on nearby side streets.
Protesters said that three soldiers turned in their weapons in order to join the protests an hour before the noon prayers which are the spiritual high point of Islams weekly holy day.
Many chants focused on the need for a civilian rather than a military government.
The military is now in an embarrassing situation said Tamer Oweiss 31 a superviser at Cairos airport. Theyre trying to stand in the middle. They feel loyalty to Mubarak an officer but at the same time they dont want to hurt the people.
At the state Television and Radio Tower which is north of the square and flanks the east bank of the Nile thousands of protesters toppled makeshift barricades erected by the military and swarmed around the building.
Younis the advertising executive said he marched 10 miles from Tahrir Square to the presidential palace immediately after Mubaraks Thursday night speech arriving about 2 a.m. He ridiculed us Younis said. We want him to hear our voices from up close.
Mubarak is an idiot said Ahmed Suleiman 62 a physician who was also demonstrating outside the palace. Were very upset about what he said yesterday.
Some protesters vowed to storm the palace. But others appealed for restraint saying they would not clash with the military.
A group of counter-demonstrators congregated a short distance away chanting support for the president and urging the other side to disperse. Soldiers kept the two sides separated.
We are afraid. If there is anarchy looters will come to our homes said Serge Simon 60 an Armenian Egyptian pianist from Heliopolis. What we are seeing here is hooliganism.
In his speech late Thursday Mubarak ceded some authority to Suleiman but refused to quit insisting that he would stay in office to oversee a drawn-out transfer of power.
This stalemate cannot continue forever Finance Minister Samir Radwan told BBC radio Thursday night. I think the military is highly disciplined and they have taken a decision not to fire at the young people.
Some opposition leaders warned that Mubarak was risking a bloody revolt.
There is no way the Egyptian people right now are ready to accept either the president or the vice president Mohamed ElBaradei a Nobel Peace Prize winner and opposition leader told CNN. They have lost all authority all legitimacy. . . . My fear is that the situation will turn violent.
whitlockc@washpost.com Egyptian state television reported that @washpost.com
fadell@washpost.com
