Mubarak leaves Cairo with family

Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak leaves Cairo as crowds surge -- PHOTO: AP

CAIRO - EMBATTLED Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak left Cairo with his family on Friday, a source close to the government told AFP, and a ruling party spokesman said the ruler was now in Sharm el-Sheikh.

'Mr Mubarak has left Cairo with all his family,' the source said.

'He is in Sharm el-Sheikh,' National Democratic Party spokesman Mohammed Abdellah told AFP.

His departure comes on the 18th day of massive nationwide rallies demanding his immediate overthrow. Hundreds of thousands of protesters have rejected concessions made by Mr Mubarak's government and vowed to keep demonstrating until their demands are met.

And his apparent departure to Sharm, a Red Sea resort town in which he maintains a residence, appeared to do little to placate protesters.

'He has to leave the country, our demands are clear,' said Magdy Sabry, one of thousands blockading the state television building in central Cairo. -- AFP