Egypt’s army chief Field Marshal Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has been given approval by the country’s top military body to run for the presidency, state media report.

Field Marshal Abdel Fattah al-Sisi led the overthrow of President Mohamed Morsi, Egypt’s first democratically elected leader, in July.

He is expected to accept the nomination from the Supreme Council for Armed Forces (SCAF) and resign from his military position within days.

Field Marshal Abdel Fattah al-Sisi led the overthrow of President Mohamed Morsi, Egypt’s first democratically elected leader

Earlier, the interim president promoted him from general to field marshal.

Field Marshal Abdel Fattah al-Sisi is popular with much of the Egyptian public and analysts say he would be expected to win the presidential election, to be held by late April.

On Saturday, tens of thousands of people joined a rally in Cairo to mark the anniversary of the 2011 uprising against President Hosni Mubarak by calling on Field Marshal Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to stand.

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