Abdel Fattah el - Sisi Abdel Fattah Saeed Hussein Khalil el - Sisi ( , , ; more commonly known as General Sisi ) , ( born 19 November 1954 ) is an Egyptian General who has been Commander - in - Chief of the Egyptian Armed Forces , as well as Minister of Defence , since 12 August 2012 . As head of the armed forces , he played the leading role in the July 2013 military coup , which ousted President Mohamed Morsi , following protests against Morsi and his government . Al - Sisi was subsequently appointed as First Deputy Prime Minister , while remaining Minister of Defense . Career . El - Sisi received his commission as a military officer in 1977 serving in the mechanized infantry , specializing in anti - tank warfare and mortar warfare . He became Commander of the Northern Military Region - Alexandria in 2008 and then Director of Military Intelligence and Reconnaissance . El - Sisi was the youngest member of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces of Egypt . On 12 August 2012 , Egyptian president Mohamed Morsi took a decision to replace Mohamed Hussein Tantawi , the head of the Egyptian Armed Forces , by el - Sisi , and promoted him to the rank of General . El - Sisi also took the post of Minister of Defense and Military Production in the Qandil Cabinet . Minister of Defense . Since el - Sisi was appointed as Minister of Defense on 12 August 2012 , there have been concerns in Egypt regarding rumors that General el - Sisi is the hand of the Muslim Brotherhood in the army , though el - Sisi has always declared that the Egyptian army stands on the side of Egyptian people . On 28 April 2013 , during celebrations for Sinai Liberation Day , el - Sisi said that , " the hand that harms any Egyptian must be cut " . This statement was taken by Morsi opponents as a clarification that the Army is in support the people . However , the statement was described by Morsi supporters that el - Sisi was warning Morsi opponents that he would not allow an overthrow of the government . He remained in office under the new government , formed after the coup that deposed Morsi , and led by Hazem Al Beblawi . He was also appointed Deputy Prime Minister of Egypt . July 2013 military coup . On 30 June 2013 and as a response to Tamarod movement , mass demonstrations took place in Tahrir Square and Heliopolis Palace in Cairo and other Egyptian cities including Alexandria , Port Said , Suez . Clashes took place around Egypt . Soon afterwards the Egyptian Army which aired on television issuing a 48 - hour ultimatum that gave the country ' s political parties until 3 July to meet the demands of the anti - morsi demonstrators . The Egyptian military also threatened to intervene if the dispute was not resolved by then . On 2 July 2013 the presidency rejected the Egyptian Army ' s 48 - hour ultimatum and Morsi made a late speech declaring that he would " defend the legitimacy of his elected office with his life and he won ' t step down . " On 3 July 2013 , having failed to meet the deadline and Morsi failing in getting a national consensus , Egypt ' s armed forces overthrew Morsi , installing Adly Mansour as the interim head of state in his place , and ordering the arrest of many members of the Muslim Brotherhood on charges of " inciting violence and disturbing general security and peace " Al - Sisi announced on television that the president had " failed to meet the demands of the Egyptian people " and declared that the constitution would be suspended , which was met by an acceptance from Tahrir protesters and condemnation from pro - Morsi supporters all over Egypt . Many Islamist movements , such as the Muslim Brotherhood , El Wasat Party and Gamaa Islamiyya , rejected what they called a military coup as " illegitimate " and " anti - democratic " . The new Prime Minister Hazem Al Beblawi decided to split the Ministry of Defense and Military Production into two ministries . El - Sisi retained the defense portfolio , while Air Marshall Reda Hafez received the military production portfolio . Beblawi also named el - Sisi as First Deputy Prime Minister of Egypt . He was sworn in on 16 July 2013 . El - Sisi as a new hero . The anti - Morsi demonstrators on the streets welcomed el - Sisi ' s decision overthrowing Morsi with celebrations and lifting posters for the General el - Sisi and chanting " The Army and the People are one hand " , supporting General el - Sisi didn ' t stop at that but also reached the social networks as thousands of Egyptians changed their profile pictures to the picture of el - Sisi while others started campaigns requesting Al - Sisi to be given the field marshal military rank while others hoped he would be nominated in the next presidential elections . Al - Sisi mania didn ' t stop at that . From cupcakes to chocolate to necklaces bearing the " CC " initials to famous restaurants in Egypt naming sandwiches after him to blogs sharing his pictures everywhere to endless columns and op - edsas well TV shows and interviews hailing the new idol of the Nile valley in the Egyptian mainstream media . Call for mass demonstrations . On 24 July , during a speech at a military parade , General el - Sisi called for mass demonstrations to grant Military and Police a “ mandate ” to crack down on “ terrorism ” . some saw that that this means Al - sisi was in need to the people to prove to the world that it wasn ' t a coup but a popular will while it was seen by others as contradicting the military ’ s pledges to hand over power to civilians after removing Mr . Morsi and as an indication for an imminent crackdown against Islamists . The reactions to el - Sisi ' s announcement ranged from open support by the Egyptian presidency and the Tamarod movement to rejection , not only by the Muslim Brotherhood , but also by the Salafi Al - Nour Party , the moderate Strong Egypt Party , the revolutionary April 6 Youth Movement and Egyptian Human Rights groups . However , in friday July 26 , 2013 , millions rallied across Egypt responding Al - Sisi ' s call which was described as " the largest crowds in 2 1 / 2 years of upheaval " and even bigger numbers than June 30 , 2013 demonstrations The August 2013 Egyptian raids by the Egyptian military , under commands from El - Sisi , participated with Police in removing camps of Muslim Brotherhood supporters from sit - ins being held throughout the country . This resulted in rapidly escalating violence that eventually led to the deaths of 638 people , of whom 595 were civilians and 43 police officers , with at least 3 , 994 injured . some liberal activists , who had supported the ousting of Morsi , publicly voiced their concerns : " I ' m not happy when they use violence . And I ' m worried about them using it again , " said Gamal Eid , a well - known Human Rights activist . . Robert Fisk describes General al - Sisi as at a loss , who will go in history in infamy . Lee Smith concludes that " Egypt ’ s New Leader Is Unfit to Rule " . Al - Sisi ' s recent decision - making suggests a character that is deeply flawed , rash and dangerous . which was explained by the Government that Police went on to use dispersing the sit in on 14 August 2013 , with the least possible damage , to set Egypt ablaze which is documented in s file published by the State Information Services as hundreds of civilians and police fell as victims , in addition to those from the Muslim Brotherhood side saying that Muslim Brotherhood supporters imposed blockade for 46 days against the people in Al Nahda and Rabaa al - Adawiya squares under the name of sit - in where tens of protests took to the street daily hindered the lives of the Egyptians , caused unrest and the fall of many victims and injured and the damage in public and private properties . In August 3 , 2013 Al - Sisi gave his first interview since the overthrow of President Mohammad Morsi talking to The Washington Post he criticized the U . S . response , accusing the Obama administration of disregarding the Egyptian popular will and of providing insufficient support amid threats of a civil war saying “ You left the Egyptians . You turned your back on the Egyptians , and they won ’ t forget that , ” On 6 October war anniversary , Al - Sisi announced that the army is committed to the popular mandate of 26 July 2013 : “ We are committed , in front of God , to the Egyptian and Arab people that we will protect Egypt , the Egyptians and their free will . ” 6 October war anniversary . In October 6 , 2013 and during 6 October war anniversary celebration , General Al - Sisi invited the Emirati , Iraqi , Bahraini , Moroccan and Jordanian defense ministers to celebrate with Egypt , and during his speech he said in a warning way that the Egyptian people “ will never forget who stood with them or against them ” . . Al - Sisi described 6 October as “ a day to celebrate for all Arabs ” , hoping for the “ unification of Arabs ” . He also thanked “ Egypt ' s Arab brothers , who stood by its side . ” Al - Sisi commented on the relationship between the Egyptian army and Egyptian people , saying that it is hard to break . Al - Sisi said : “ We would die before you [ the Egyptian people ] would feel pain ” . He also compared the Egyptian army to the Pyramid , saying that “ it cannot be broken ” .