Egypt activists plan strikes to mark Mubarak's ouster

CAIRO: Activists plan a day of civil disobedience in Egypt on Saturday to mark the first anniversary since they toppled Hosni Mubarak but left an increasingly unpopular but defiant military in charge.

The call for strikes in universities and workplaces comes after a series of protests pressuring the military to transfer power immediately to civilians, rather than wait for planned presidential elections later this year.

The military, headed by Mubarak's long-time defence minister Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi, has said it will deploy additional troops across the country in response to the calls for a day of disobedience.

On Friday, thousands of protesters snaked through Cairo's streets to bypass military cordons and reach the defence ministry, chanting "Down with military rule!"

In a statement read out on state television late on Friday, the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) said it would not bow to threats or plots against the state. (AFP)