Beleaguered Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi was slapped with a travel ban by security forces today after he refused to quit and offered a consensus government to end a standoff with the powerful military, as the 48-hour deadline for him to meet people's demands expired.
Airport officials said a travel ban has been issued against Morsi. They said that ban on Morsi has to do with his escape from prison with more than 30 other Muslim Brotherhood members during the 2011 uprising against Hosni Mubarak.
A top aide of Morsi slammed what he called a "military coup" as the army ultimatum passed and the security forces slapped the travel ban on the Islamist leader.
"For the sake of Egypt and for historical accuracy, let's call what is happening by its real name: Military coup," Essam al-Haddad, 61-year-old Morsi's national security adviser, said in a statement posted on Facebook.
Egypt edged closer to a return to rule by the army generals as both sides refused to back down with the 48-hour military deadline for Morsi to resolve the ongoing political crisis coming to an end.
Egypt remained tense as crowds poured into the streets to demand Morsi's resignation. The military deployed armoured vehicles near Cairo demonstrations by supporters of Morsi.
"As I write these lines I am fully aware that these may be the last lines I get to post on this page," Haddad said.
Also banned from travel was Brotherhood leader Mohammed Badie, his deputy Khairat el-Shater.
"The presidency envisions the formation of a consensus coalition government to oversee the next parliamentary election," the President's office said in a statement earlier posted on Facebook.
Morsi reaffirmed his call for a national dialogue and the formation of a panel to amend the country's controversial Islamist-drafted constitution. He insisted on continuing as the President.
There was a "clear roadmap which is based on constitutional legitimacy... And includes the formation of a temporary coalition government based on national participation to oversee the coming phase," Morsi, Egypt's first democratically elected President, said.
"There would be an agreement from all political trends over the (choice of) prime minister," his office said.
Morsi reiterated that he was a "president for all Egyptians".
Meanwhile, the health ministry said 23 people were killed and 200 others injured in violence between pro-and anti Morsi supporters at Cairo University in the Giza district in the capital since last night, taking the toll to 39 since Sunday.
