Egypt's Ministry of Foreign Affairs decided on Sunday, 19 February, to recall its ambassador to Syria where protests and a crackdown campaign continue despite international pressure on the regime and promises of reform by Assad.

A press release issued by the Ministry said Egypt's ambassador to Damascus, Mr Shawk Ismail, was received back in Cairo by the Foreign Minister, Mr Mohamed Kamel Amr, after he was recalled from Syria. It has been decided that Mr Ismail will remain in Cairo "until further notice".

On Wednesday last week, Cairo called for "real and peaceful change" in Syria and the immediate end to violence against civilians, but it also rejected any military intervention in the country. Mr Amr warned of "an overall flare-up in the situation, which would have consequences for the stability of the region," and demanded the implementation of the Arab action plan in order to contain the situation.

Hundreds of Egyptians and Syrians demonstrated outside the Syrian embassy in Cairo on Friday in protest against the bloody crackdown in Syria. Protesters demanded the expulsion of the Syrian ambassador in Cairo.

Since March 2011, Syria has witnessed an unprecedented wave of protests against the regime of President Bashar Al Assad. This led to the eruption of violent and bloody events that have killed at least 6,000 people.