Egypt appoints post-Mubarak interior minister

Egypt on Sunday named General Mansour el-Essawy as its new interior minister in a further sign that ousted President Hosni Mubarak's old guard were being removed from the cabinet. Pro-democracy activists have demanded a purge of a cabinet where the key portfolios of defence, justice, interior and foreign affairs have been run by appointees of Mubarak, who was swept from power by mass protests on Feb 11.

The country's state news agencyquoted Essawy as saying his priorities included reinforcing security across Egypt. Security in the Arab world's most populous nation has been lax since the country's police forces melted away from the streets on Jan 28. Many Egyptian policemen remain reluctant to return to duty, fearing attacks by citizens still angry over clashes between demonstrators and security forces during the uprising that led to the deaths of over 300 people.