Presidential candidate Ahmed Shafiq’s visit to Assiut has been canceled out of concerns for the candidate and his campaigners' safety, according to a security source.
The campaign trip, which was scheduled to begin Saturday, would have taken Shafiq through the Upper Egypt cities of Qussiya, Dayrout and Badari.
These are three hot spots, the source said, with a high percentage of tribal disputes and unauthorized weapons.
He added that calls for gatherings of Salafi group members, Muslim Brotherhood members, and supporters of Abdel Moneim Abouel Fotouh, at Shafiq rallies to oppose him also motivated them to cancel the visit.
Shafiq has so far not received awarm welcome in parts of southern Egypt.
On Friday in Qena, Shafiq faced disapproving crowds at a mosque and on Thursday in Aswan, an audience member hurled at shoe at the podium while he spoke during a campaign rally.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
