The Egyptian military deposed President Mohamed Morsi on Wednesday night.

The chief of the armed forces, General Abdul Fatah Khalil al-Sisi, announced in a live television broadcast:

• the suspension of the Egyptian constitution,
• the appointment of the head of the constitutional court as the country's interim leader,
• the calling of early new presidential elections, and
• the establishment of a national government of technocrats.

The army chief promised to empower Egyptian youth to participate in the political process, to protect free media within the context of guaranteeing national security, and to work towards national reconciliation.

Responding, Morsi accused the army of mounting a coup against him.

Live coverage by Al Jazeera television showed tens of thousands of anti-Morsi demonstrators in Cairo's Tahrir Square celebrating his overthrow in scenes similar to those when former President Hosni Mubarak was driven from office. The broadcaster said Morsi's whereabouts were unknown.

AllAfrica news partner Aswat Masriya reported earlier in the day that the military had deployed forces in the vicinity of the massive demonstrations sweeping Cairo. Muslim Brotherhood spokesman Gehad El-Haddad was quoted as saying on his Twitter account that "there is a full military coup underway now in Egypt... Tanks have started moving through the streets."

At least 18 people were reported killed and 619 injured in violent clashes in the early hours of Wednesday near Cairo University, Aswat Masriya said, after clashes broke out between unknown assailants and supporters of President Morsi, who were protesting outside the university.

Also earlier, the presidency said it wanted a dialogue to reach national consensus. It said that "violating constitutional legitimacy threatens democracy and derails it from its righteous path."