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The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) (Arabic: المجلس الأعلى للقوات المسلحة, al-Maǧlis al-ʾAʿlā lil-Quwwāt al-Musallaḥah, also Higher Council of the Armed Forces) consists of a body of 20[1] senior officers in the Egyptian military. As a consequence of the Egyptian Revolution of 2011, the Council took the power to govern Egypt from its departing President Hosni Mubarak on February 11, 2011.[2][3]
The junta meets regularly, as well as in times of a national emergency, with the President of Egypt serving as its chairman. During the course of the 2011 revolution, the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces met first on February 9, 2011 under the chairmanship of the former Egyptian President, Hosni Mubarak.
The Council met for the first time without the chairmanship of the President on February 10, and issued their first press statement, which signaled that the council was about to assume power which they did the next day following Mubarak's relinquishing of power to the military. The military junta is headed by the Field Marshal Mohamed Hussein Tantawi who served as the Minister of Defense under Mubarak, and includes the service heads and other senior commanders of the Egyptian Armed Forces, namely Air Marshal Reda Mahmoud Hafez Mohamed, Air Force commander, Lt. Gen. Sami Hafez Anan, Armed Forces Chief of Staff, Lt. Gen. Abd El Aziz Seif-Eldeen, Commander of Air Defense, and Vice Admiral Mohab Mamish, Navy Commander in Chief.[4]
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The Council is made up of 20 members.
The Supreme Council released its First statement on Thursday, February 10, 2011 stating that the council "in affirmation and support for the legitimate demands of the people" is in "continuous session to consider what procedures and measures that may be taken to protect the nation". It was noted that then-president Hosni Mubarak was not present in the meeting as the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, however the meeting was headed by Defense Minister Field Marshal Mohamed Hussein Tantawi.
The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces in his third statement issued on the evening of Friday, February 11, 2011 Shortly after the announcement of Mubarak's resignation, that the Council is not a substitute for the legitimacy that satisfies the people. The Council addressed "with all the greetings and cherished for the lives of the martyrs who sacrificed their lives to sacrifice for freedom and security of their country, "and led a spokesman for the Council to salute the martyrs, an action which received wide appraise from the people. The Council also thanked President Hosni Mubarak "for his work in the process of national war and in peace and on the national position in preference to the higher interest of the homeland" in the same statement. In the following day, February 12, the Council released his fourth statement, which he pledged to oversee the transition to ensure the transfer of power to a civilian government elected by the people.
In its statement the Council indicated that it intends to suspend emergency laws that had been in effect for three decades, and move towards free and fair presidential elections, and provide for a safe transition to a free democratic order.[5] One of their first actions were to dissolve the Parliament of Egypt, suspend the Constitution of Egypt, and an announcement of free, open presidential and parliamentary elections before the year's end and within six months.
The Council has also declared that Egypt "is committed to all regional and international obligations and treaties". This has been widely interpreted as relating to the Egypt–Israel Peace Treaty, and has been welcomed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.[6][7]
On August 7, 2011, Field Marshal Tantawi swore in 15 new governors, 11 of whom were new to the post. Some critics complained that the new governors were appointed rather than elected, that many of them were military figures and/or members of the old regime and none of them were young, women, or Copts.[8]
Since taking power the council has overseen the trial of 7000 people in closed military trials, including bloggers, journalists and protesters. In May 2011, one of the members of the council, General Mamdouh Shahin stated that the under the new constitution Egypt's military should be given `some kind of insurance ... so that it is not under the whim of a president.`[9]
The SCAF was heavily criticized following violent confrontations In October 2011 between armed soldiers at the headquarters of the state television and radio services (known as the Maspiro building). A group of protestors, mostly Coptic Christians, marched to the Maspiro building in downtown Cairo to protest against the burning of a church in Upper Egypt. A confrontation between the protestors and the army turned violent, resulting in the killing of over 20 protestors.[10] State TV broadcast messages of Copts attacking the army and called on Egyptians to join the army.[11] Armed men joined the army in attacking what had been a peaceful protest.[12] The SCAF initially denied the army was responsible for any violence and further claimed that three soldiers had been killed by protestors, claiming that the soldiers were not carrying any live ammunition.[13] Later, video evidence was broadcast showing army vehicles hitting groups of protestors.[13] An editorial in The Washington Post blasted the SCAF for what it called a "shameful" response to the violence directed against the Coptic protestors.[14]
Despite the turbulence of the transitional period in Egypt, polls have shown that the SCAF has enjoyed wide legitimacy from the Egyptian people and general confidence in their ability to provide free elections. A poll in October 2011 showed that 91.7% of Egyptians have confidence in the SCAF to provide the conditions for free elections. The SCAF at that time had a general approval rating of 40.6%.[15]
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