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Blast near Cairo Coptic cathedral kills at least 22 | |
(35 minutes later) | |
An explosion near Cairo's Coptic cathedral has killed at least 20 people. | |
Egypt's state-run television said 22 people had been killed and 35 injured in the blast, citing health ministry officials. | |
Local media reported the explosion hit St Peter's church next to the cathedral, within the same complex. | |
Photos and video footage showed damage to the exterior of the church, with shattered windows and broken roofing. | |
The cause of the blast was not immediately clear. | |
The explosion happened at around 10:00 local time (08:00 GMT). Local media reported that Cairo's security chief, Khalid Abdel Aal, arrived to inspect the scene. | |
Egypt's Coptic Christians make up about 10% of the country's population. | Egypt's Coptic Christians make up about 10% of the country's population. |
St Mark's Cathedral is the headquarters of the country's Orthodox church, and the home of its leader, Pope Tawadros II. | St Mark's Cathedral is the headquarters of the country's Orthodox church, and the home of its leader, Pope Tawadros II. |
On Saturday, six policemen were killed when a bomb exploded on a main road leading to the pyramids at Giza. The explosion, at a police checkpoint, was the deadliest attack on security forces in Cairo in over six months. | |
A recently formed militant group called Hasm claimed responsibility for the attack. | |
Two people were killed outside St Mark's cathedral in 2013, when people mourning the death of four Coptic Christians killed in religious violence clashed with local residents. | Two people were killed outside St Mark's cathedral in 2013, when people mourning the death of four Coptic Christians killed in religious violence clashed with local residents. |
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