Egyptian prime minister resigns

Egypt’s prime minister has resigned, the country’s military rulers said.

Ahmed Shafiq was appointed by President Hosni Mubarak shortly before he was ousted.

Shafiq’s departure meets a key demand of the opposition protest movement.

The former air force officer was named prime minister by Mubarak shortly after the January 25 outbreak of massive anti-government protests. Mubarak stepped down on February 11, but Shafiq stayed in office at the head of a caretaker government.

Leaders of the 18-day uprising have been pressing the military to fire Shafiq.

A brief statement posted today by the military on its official website said it had chosen former Transport Minister Essam Sharaf as the new prime minister and asked him to form a new Cabinet.