The African Union is likely to suspend Egypt from all its activities after the Egyptian military suspended the constitution and overthrew the elected president, Mohamed Mursi, a senior AU source said on Thursday.

The source, who asked not to be identified, told Reuters that members of the AU's peace and security council would meet on Friday and were likely to implement the AU's usual response to any interruption of constitutional rule by a member state.

"The belief is that the doctrine will be applied, which is suspension for any country where an unconstitutional change has taken place," he said.