Sisi approves new appointments in army leadership

In a move that observers say might be a final step before he resigns from his military post, Defense Minister Field Marshall Abdel Fattah al-Sisi approved several new appointments in the ranks of the Armed Forces leadership on Monday, newspaper state-owned Al-Ahram reported.

Second Army Commander General Ahmed Wasfy is now head of the Armed Forces Training Authority, while General Mohamed al-Shahat, who used to be the Second Army's chief of staff, is now its commander.

Commander of the South Military District General Mohamed Arafat is now head of the Armed Forces Inspection Authority.

General Yehia al-Gebaily, who was chief of staff of the South Military District, is now its commander.

General Khairat Mohamed is now head of the Officers’ Affairs Authority instead of General Mostafa Sherif, who has been sent into retirement and appointed assistant to the defense minister.

Observers argue that the new appointments indicate that Sisi’s resignation, in preparation for his much-anticipated presidential bid, is imminent Armed Forces Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Sedky Sobhy is expected to be Sisi's successor.

In a poll conducted by the Baseera Center for Public Opinion Studies, 51 percent of Egyptians have already decided they will vote for Sisi in the upcoming presidential elections. Forty-five percent of participants said they are still undecided, while just 1 percent said they will be voting for Nasserist politician Hamdeen Sabbahi, the only person who has so far officially announced his candidacy.