Mubarak sacks government

President Hosni Mubarak sacked Egypt’s government and vowed to bring in democratic measures, in a TV address to the nation late last night after several days of deadly anti-regime protests.

World leaders voiced mounting fears calling for restraint on all sides and urging Egyptian leaders to heed the cries for reform.

“We are deeply concerned about the use of violence by Egyptian police and security forces against protesters and we call on the Egyptian government to do everything in its power to restrain the security forces,” US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said.

“At the same time, protesters should also refrain from violence and express themselves peacefully,” the chief US diplomat added, amid warnings that the US may review its aid policy to Egypt.

Eight Egyptians have been killed in four days of countrywide anti-government rallies, which have also left more than hundreds injured and thousands behind bars.

The protest movement has mobilised the young and the middle classes using the internet and social networks in a challenge to the authorities that has seen both Twitter and Swedish video-streaming site Bambuser blocked.

Washington, like many Western governments which have dealt with President Hosni Mubarak during his 30 years in power, have struggled to formulate a response to the rapidly evolving crisis.

The US also rebuked Egyptian leaders for their crackdown on dissent.

“We urge the Egyptian authorities to allow peaceful protests and to reverse the unprecedented steps it has taken to cut off communications,” Mrs Clinton said.

British Prime Minister David Cameron added his voice to the calls for reform yesterday, after his Foreign Secretary William Hague issued a warning of a “great danger of violence” due to the huge numbers of people on the street.

“What we need is reform in Egypt,” Mr Cameron, who has been at the Davos summit of political and business leaders in Switzerland, told CNN television.

“I mean we support reform and progress in the greater strengthening of their democracy and civil rights and the rule of law. Clearly there are grievances that people have and they need to be met and matched.”

France also voiced concern. “Only dialogue among all the parties” can improve matters, said French Foreign Minister Michele Alliot-Marie, adding such talks must “take into account aspirations that are being expressed for more liberty and democracy”.

In face of such unprecedented demonstrations against his rule, Mr Mubarak called out the army yesterday as tens of thousands – inspired by the Tunisian uprising that drove Zine El Abidine Ben Ali from power earlier this month – took to the streets demanding once again he should quit.

But a top US general urged the military to show restraint. General James Cartwright, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said “the key activity here I think that’s really important is to exercise restraint and to do so both on our part and also on the part of our counterparts in the Egyptian military.”

In Davos, UN chief Ban Ki-moon said: “Freedom of expression and association should be fully respected.”

Eyeing a tide of unrest, which also saw demonstrations erupt on the streets of Yemen on Thursday, Mr Ban appealed to Arab governments to take note.

“What I have been saying repeatedly is that, first of all, all concerned people or leaders should ensure that the situation in that region, particularly now in Egypt, does not and should not lead to further violence,” he said.

European Union chief diplomat Catherine Ashton meanwhile urged Egyptian authorities to immediately release those demonstrators held in the protests.

“The continued use of force against demonstrators by police and state security forces is deeply troubling,” she added.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel, also in Davos to attend meetings of the World Economic Forum, urged Egypt to allow peaceful protest and freedom of expression.