CAIRO (AP) - A foreign ministry official says two spokesmen for President Mohammed Mursi have quit in the latest defections from his embattled administration as protesters and the military challenge his authority.

The official says career diplomats Omar Amer and Ihab Fahmy have stepped down after nearly five months speaking on behalf of Mursi.

The official spoke on Tuesday on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak to the media.

The move compounds the woes for Mr Mursi as he faces massive protests calling for his ouster.

On Monday, six Cabinet ministers quit and the military gave the president a 48-hour ultimatum to work out his differences with the opposition or it will intervene and oversee the implementation of its own political road map.

The ultimatum expires on Wednesday.