Egypt: Blast near Coptic cathedral in Cairo kills at least 25
| Publisher | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty |
| Publication Date | 11 December 2016 |
| Cite as | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Egypt: Blast near Coptic cathedral in Cairo kills at least 25, 11 December 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5975a3318.html [accessed 4 November 2019] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
Last Updated: December 11, 2016
Egyptian security forces check a body at the site of a bomb attack next to a police checkpoint in the western Talibiya district of the capital, Cairo, on December 9.
An explosion near Cairo's Coptic cathedral has killed at least 25 people and wounded 49 others, Egyptian officials say.
Egypt's official MENA news agency reported that the December 11 blast was caused by a bomb thrown by an assailant into St. Peter's church, next to St. Mark's Cathedral.
St. Mark's is the seat of Egypt's Orthodox church and the home of its spiritual leader, Pope Tawadros II.
President Abdel-Fattah al-Sissi condemned the attack as a "vile act of terrorism" and declares three days of official mourning for the victims.
Egypt's Coptic Christians make up some 10 percent of the country's population.
The explosion comes after a bomb attack killed six police officers at a checkpoint in Cairo on December 9.
A militant group called Hasm, suspected by authorities of links to the banned Muslim Brotherhood, claimed responsibility for the attack.
Egypt's security forces are fighting an Islamist insurgency that has launched deadly attacks in Cairo and other cities.
Based on reporting by Reuters, AFP, and AP
Link to original story on RFE/RL website
