Blast near Cairo cathedral kills dozens: ministry

At least twenty five people were killed and sixteen others injured on Sunday by a blast near the St. Mark's Coptic Orthodox Cathedral in Cairo.

MENA

1 min read

The New Arab

11 December, 2016

The Cathedral is the seat of the country's Coptic Orthodox pope [AFP]

At least twenty five people were killed and sixteen others injured by a blast near the St. Mark's Coptic Orthodox Cathedral in Cairo, The New Arab correspondent reported from the city on Sunday.

The injured were rushed to nearby hospitals, medical sources said.

The explosion took place outside the gate of the Church of St. Peter in the Cathedral complex, according to eyewitness accounts.

Security forces quickly set up a cordone around the blast site.

Maj. Gen. Khaled Abdel-Aaal, head of the capitals security directorate, arrived later to oversee the security operation.

According to a BBC report, the explosion happened at around 10:00 local time (08:00 GMT). The cause of the blast was not immediately clear.

The Cathedral is Cairo's main Coptic church and seat of the country's Coptic Orthodox pope. Egypt's Coptic Christians make up about 10 percent of the country's population.

Six policemen were killed in a blast on Saturday near the main road leading to the pyramids at Giza.