Egypt’s Mursi severs relations with Syria

CAIRO: Egypt’s Islamist President Mohammed Mursi on Saturday announced the “definitive” severing of relations with war-torn Syria, which is suffering from more than two years of civil war.

Egypt “decided today to definitively break off relations with the current regime in Syria, to close that regime’s embassy in Cairo and to recall Egypt’s charge d’affaires” from Damascus, Mursi told thousands of Islamist supporters in a Cairo stadium for a “Support for Syria” rally.

“We decided today to entirely break off relations with Syria and with the current Syrian regime,” he said

He also warned Assad’s allies in the Iranian-backed Lebanese Shi’ite militia to pull back from fighting in Syria: “We stand against Hezbollah in its aggression against the Syrian people,” Mursi said.

“Hezbollah must leave Syria - these are serious words. There is no space or place for Hezbollah in Syria.”