Egypt's Morsi severs relations with Syria

Morsi also urged the world powers to enforce a no-fly zone over Syria.

CAIRO: Egypt's Islamist President Mohammed Morsi on Saturday announced the "definitive" severing of relations with war-torn Syria, which is suffering from more than two years of civil war.

Egypt "decided today to definitively break off relations with the current regime in Syria, to close that regime's embassy in Cairo and to recall Egypt's charge d'affaires" from Damascus, Morsi told thousands of Islamist supporters in a Cairo stadium for a "Support for Syria" rally.

Egypt calls for Syria no-fly zone

Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi urged world powers not to hesitate to enforce a no-fly zone over Syria on Saturday, as he threw the backing of the most populous Arab state firmly behind the revolt against the Iranian-backed Damascus government.

The Islamist head of state had previously appeared somewhat less confrontational toward President Bashar al-Assad than Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states. But in a speech to Sunni Muslim clerics in Cairo he said he had cut all ties to Damascus and demanded Lebanon's Shia Hezbollah movement quit Syria.