Egypt President Mohamed Mursi appointed a new national intelligence chief on Wednesday, September 19 to replace Mourad Mwafi, who was sent into retirement after an attack that left 16 border guards dead in Sinai last month, Reuters said.

Mohamed Shehata, already named as Mwafi's temporary replacement following the August 5 attack, was given the post on a permanent basis, the president said in a statement.

The decision to retire Mwafi was seen by many as a major step to entrench Mursi's power after he took office on June 30.

Mursi's election win ended more than a year of interim army rule that followed the overthrow of president and former air force commander Hosni Mubarak. He later removed the country's top two generals from their positions.

A powerful security apparatus suppressed Mursi's Muslim Brotherhood during Mubarak's three-decade rule.