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| Egypt church bombings: At least 37 killed in two explosions targeting Christians on Palm Sunday | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| At least 32 people have been killed in two bomb attacks targeting two Egyptian churches packed with Palm Sunday worshippers. | |
| The first attack took place in the Mar Girgis church in the Nile Delta town of Tanta, north of Cairo, killing 26 and wounding 71. | |
| Later, a second blast in front of a church in Alexandria killed 11 people and wounded 66, the health ministry said. | |
| State TV said a suicide bomber carried out the attack. | |
| It was the latest in a series of assaults on Egypt's Christian minority, which makes up around 10 percent of the population and has been repeatedly targeted by Islamic extremists. | It was the latest in a series of assaults on Egypt's Christian minority, which makes up around 10 percent of the population and has been repeatedly targeted by Islamic extremists. |
| Video footage and images reportedly taken from inside the church in Tanta show a large number of people gathered around what appear to be lifeless, bloody bodies covered with papers. | Video footage and images reportedly taken from inside the church in Tanta show a large number of people gathered around what appear to be lifeless, bloody bodies covered with papers. |
| Eyewitnesses to the first blast described a scene of carnage to Reuters. | Eyewitnesses to the first blast described a scene of carnage to Reuters. |
| "There was a huge explosion in the hall. Fire and smoke filled the room and the injuries were extremely severe. I saw the intestines of those injured and legs severed entirely from their bodies," Vivian Fareeg said. | "There was a huge explosion in the hall. Fire and smoke filled the room and the injuries were extremely severe. I saw the intestines of those injured and legs severed entirely from their bodies," Vivian Fareeg said. |
| Grand Sheikh Ahmed el-Tayeb, head of Egypt's Al-Azhar — the leading centre of learning in Sunni Islam — condemned the attack, calling it a "despicable terrorist bombing that targeted the lives of innocents". | Grand Sheikh Ahmed el-Tayeb, head of Egypt's Al-Azhar — the leading centre of learning in Sunni Islam — condemned the attack, calling it a "despicable terrorist bombing that targeted the lives of innocents". |
| Pope Francis decried the deadly attack, which took place just weeks before his planned visit to Cairo. | Pope Francis decried the deadly attack, which took place just weeks before his planned visit to Cairo. |
| The pontiff expressed his ''deep condolences to my brother, Pope Tawadros II, the Coptic church and all of the dear Egyptian nation," and said he was praying for the dead and wounded in the attack. Word of the bombing came as Francis himself was marking Palm Sunday in St. Peter's Square. | The pontiff expressed his ''deep condolences to my brother, Pope Tawadros II, the Coptic church and all of the dear Egyptian nation," and said he was praying for the dead and wounded in the attack. Word of the bombing came as Francis himself was marking Palm Sunday in St. Peter's Square. |
| He asked God ''to convert the hearts of those who spread terror, violence and death, and also the hearts of those who make, and traffic in, weapons." | He asked God ''to convert the hearts of those who spread terror, violence and death, and also the hearts of those who make, and traffic in, weapons." |
| The pope's remarks on the attack were handed to him on a piece of paper as he marked Palm Sunday in St Peter's Square. | The pope's remarks on the attack were handed to him on a piece of paper as he marked Palm Sunday in St Peter's Square. |
| There has been no immediate claim of responsibility for either blast. | There has been no immediate claim of responsibility for either blast. |
| Egypt has struggled to combat a wave of Islamic militancy since the 2013 military overthrow of elected Islamist president Mohamed Morsi. | Egypt has struggled to combat a wave of Islamic militancy since the 2013 military overthrow of elected Islamist president Mohamed Morsi. |
| A local Isis affiliate group claimed a suicide bombing at a church in Cairo in December that killed around 30 people, mostly women, as well as a string of killings in the restive Sinai Peninsula that caused hundreds of Christians to flee to safer areas of the country. | A local Isis affiliate group claimed a suicide bombing at a church in Cairo in December that killed around 30 people, mostly women, as well as a string of killings in the restive Sinai Peninsula that caused hundreds of Christians to flee to safer areas of the country. |
| A militant group called Liwa al-Thawra claimed responsibility for a 1 April bomb attack targeting a police training centre in Tanta, which wounded 16 people. | A militant group called Liwa al-Thawra claimed responsibility for a 1 April bomb attack targeting a police training centre in Tanta, which wounded 16 people. |
| However, the group, believed to be linked to the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood, has mainly targeted security forces and distanced itself from attacks on Christians. | However, the group, believed to be linked to the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood, has mainly targeted security forces and distanced itself from attacks on Christians. |
| Additional reporting by agencies | Additional reporting by agencies |