The U.S. embassy in Cairo has announced that Anne Patterson, its current ambassador, will end her term in Egypt, a diplomatic source said on Wednesday.
Another U.S. diplomatic figure is expected to be assigned as charge d'affaires until the appointment of a replacement ambassador.
Speculation about the nomination of Robert Ford, current American ambassador to Syria, as successor to Patterson sparked controversy amid criticism of his record as U.S. ambassador to other countries.
The 55-year-old diplomat recently served as U.S. ambassador to Syria. Before that he served as Algerian ambassador between 2006 and 2008, as well as political consul to the U.S. embassy in Iraq between 2004 and 2006.
U.S. State Department spokesperson Jennifer Psaki said early August that she has nothing new to announce.
Any announcement about a new ambassador in Egypt would come from the White House, she added.
Patterson took office in Cairo, replacing Margaret Scobey, in May 2011. Before that she had served as ambassador to El Salvador, Colombia and Pakistan.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm and MENA
