Egypt's Hosni Mubarak resigned as president and handed control to the military on Friday, bowing down after a historic 18-day wave of pro-democracy demonstrations by hundreds of thousands.
A massive crowd in Cairo's
central Tahrir Square exploded into joy, waving Egyptian flags,
and car horns and celebratory shots in the air were heard around the city of 18
million in joy after Vice President Omar Suleiman made the announcement on
national TV just after nightfall.
"In these grave circumstances that the country is
passing through, President Hosni Mubarak has decided to leave his position as
president of the republic," a grim-looking Suleiman said. "He has
mandated the Armed Forces Supreme Council to run the state. God is our
protector and succor."
Nobel Peace laureate Mohammed ElBaradei, whose young
suporters were among the organizers of the protest movement, told The
Associated Press, "This is the greatest day of my life."
"The country has been liberated after decades of
repression," he said adding that he expects a "beautiful"
transition of power.
