22 Dead, Dozens Injured After Blast At Cairo’s Main Coptic Cathedral

At least 22 people have been killed and dozens more wounded after a blast at a Coptic cathedral in Cairo.

Egyptian state media reports the explosion was centred in a building adjacent to the St Mark’s Coptic Orthodox Cathedral wall.

Reports state the explosion occurred as parishioners were leaving a morning worship service at around 10am local time.
BBC states a relatively new militant group known as Hasm has claimed responsibility for the blast.

The cathedral serves as the headquarters for the nation’s orthodox Christian denomination, which accounts for about 10% of Egypt’s 90 million-strong populace.

The building also contains the quarters of the faith’s leader, Pope Tawadros II. It’s not yet known if he was present at the time of the blast.

We’ll update this story as it develops.

Source: ABC / BBC.
Photo: Michael Horowitz / Twitter.

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