Shortly after the Supreme Armed Forces Council announced his resignation, former Prime Minister Ahmed Shafiq said Thursday that he couldn't continue amid ongoing protests.
The military announced earlier that they accepted the resignation of Shafiq on Facebook. The announcement came a day before protesters planned to demand Shafiq's resignation in Tahrir Square, the epicenter of the 25 January revolution.
Shafiq's brief statement was released after a cabinet meeting, after which government officials left the headquarters of the Council of Ministers on Qasr al-Aini Street in total silence, refusing to answer the questions from reporters.
Former Transportation Minister Essam Sharaf now has the task of appointing a new government.
Sharaf was also present at the council headquarters Thursday afternoon.
Reliable sources said Sharaf is expected to replace the ministers of Justice, Foreign Affairs, and Petroleum.
Sources added that Sharaf will appoint an official to help Tareq Al-Mahdi, head of the State TV & Radio Union, and anticipated that Cairo University professor Sami Al-Sharif would be nominated to the post.
