CAIRO- Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi appointed Major General Abbas Kamel on Thursday as interim chief of the country's General Intelligence Service, state television reported.

The move comes ahead of a March presidential election where Sisi is expected to run for a second term in office. He has yet to announce his candidacy, however.

The report did not immediately mention Khaled Fawzi, who was serving as chief of the General Intelligence before Thursday's announcement.

(Reporting by Mohamed El Sherif; Writing by Arwa Gaballa; Editing by Toby Chopra) ((arwa.gaballa@thomsonreuters.com; +20 2 2578 3290;))