The U.S. government has decided to delay the delivery of four F-16 jet aids to Egypt due to mounting political turmoil in the region, according to the Pentagon Press Secretary, George Little.
The press secretary said, Wednesday that President Obama decided to put the delivery on hold while his administration continued reviewing options and consult with the Congress on military aid to Egypt.
The U.S. is in the process of examining if Mohamed Morsi's expulsion was a coup. If confirmed, it would trigger a legal requirement to cease providing aid to the country.
The delivery of four F-16 jets is a part of a previously arranged military aid-package order of 20 aircrafts; eight of the F-16s have already been delivered to the country.
Earlier this month, Washington said that it will proceed with the plan to deliver the jets despite Morsi's removal, but the government took a U-turn in its stance towards Egypt's interim government.
"An inclusive and sustainable democracy where all sectors of society, where all Egyptian people are fully represented, will represent all sides. And we feel that includes of course the Muslim Brotherhood and other representatives that have been detained," said U.S. State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki.
The United Nations, European Union and the United States had urged the interim government to release the ousted president from detention.
International communities are alarmed by the deteriorating situation in Egypt with the increasing number of clashes between pro-and-anti-Morsi protesters claiming more than a hundred lives in recent days.
In fresh clashes on Tuesday, at least 12 people were killed and a dozen others were injured. More fierce clashes are expected in coming weeks as Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood members have vowed to keep protesting until Morsi is freed and reinstated.
