The Washington Post is reporting that the embattled president of Egypt, Hosni Murabak, has officially stepped down. Mubarak resigned Friday and handed power to the Egyptian military, setting off wild celebrations among protesters across the country who had been demanding his ouster for the last 18 days.
When the announcement by Vice President Omar Suleiman was broadcast in Cairo's Tahrir Square, the epicenter of the protests, pandemonium broke out as huge throngs of demonstrators realized that they had achieved their goal. Egyptians jumped up and down, pumped their fists, waved their flags and hugged one another, jubilant that they had forced Mubarak's removal after 30 years of authoritarian rule.
"Egypt is free! Egypt is free!" they said.
Outside the presidential palace, where throngs had gathered, protesters erupted in cheers. They hugged, cried and waved flags frantically. Some began singing the national anthem. Mubarak and his wife had left the palace, in an affluent Cairo suburb, earlier Friday, Egyptian state television reported. The Associated Press, citing a local official, reported that he had gone to the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheikh.
It's official: Mubarak is out and the military is now in control of Egypt. Democratic elections are surely next? Our question is, which embattled country will follow suit in getting rid of its leader? And once the celebration settles down, what's next for Egypt?
Read more at the Washington Post.
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