US orders diplomats to leave Egypt: US official

WASHINGTON - The Associated Press

lares light as opponents of Egypt's Islamist President Mohammed Morsi celebrate in Tahrir Square in Cairo, Egypt, Wednesday, July 3. AP photo

A U.S. official says the State Department is ordering nonessential U.S. diplomats and the families of all American embassy personnel to leave Egypt after the Egyptian military removed Morsi and in anticipation of potential violence.

The official, speaking on condition of anonymity because the official wasn't authorized to discuss it publicly, said the State Department had placed the U.S. Embassy in Cairo on "ordered departure" status for nonemergency staff and dependents all employees. That means that those covered by the order are required to leave the country. It was not immediately clear if an evacuation operation would be mounted or if those departing would use commercial airlines or passenger ships to leave.

The Egyptian army had announced earlier that it appointed the head of Constitution Court Adli Mansour as president of a new technocratic government, ousting Mohamed Mursi after days of protests in the country.