Cairo church bombing kills at least 25

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A bombing at Cairo's largest Coptic cathedral on Sunday has killed at least 25 people and wounded 49. Many of them were women and children attending Sunday mass.

Earlier in the day, a bomb exploded in the 105-year-old St. Peter's Church attached to St. Mark's Coptic Orthodox Cathedral, while crowds of worshipers were attending a morning service, according to the Egyptian Health Ministry.

Damage from the explosion inside Cairo's Coptic Orthodox Cathedral is seen inside the cathedral in Cairo, Egypt December 11, 2016. / CFP Photo

Security sources said that initial inspections showed the blast was caused by a 12-kilogram highly-explosive TNT bomb.

So far there is no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack. However, the Islamic State-affiliated Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis (ABM) group are suspected.

Egypt’s presidential office called the attack an act of terrorism and declared three days of mourning across the country.

A nun cries as she stands at the scene inside Cairo's Coptic cathedral, following a bombing, in Egypt December 11, 2016. / CFP Photo‍

It's the deadliest attack on Egypt's Christian minority in years. And the cathedral is one of their holiest churches in the country. Witnesses suspect a woman planted the bomb inside the chapel.

Coptic Egyptians make up ten percent of Egypt's total population and security forces were strengthened in the neighborhood. The Interior Ministry said in a press release that the security had conducted searche for the assailants as well as other possible explosive devices.

Egyptian riot police stand guard as Christians shout slogans in front of Cairo's Coptic Cathedral after an explosion inside the cathedral in Cairo, Egypt December 11, 2016. / CFP Photo

In case another bomb could have been planted, all vehicles parking at the church were immediately removed. Egyptian commentators have pointed out the predominantly Muslim country should have been celebrating the anniversary of al-Mawlid al-Nabawi, Prophet Muhammad's birth. Instead people woke up to learn about this tragedy.

"Today is Prophet Muhammed's birthday. It's a national holiday and a great chance for Christians to come pray on a Sunday. The terrorist have made use of that, because the numbers would be big," said priest Mina Ibrahim.

A man walks in front of a bench near a blood stain on a wall at the scene following a bombing inside Cairo's Coptic cathedral in Egypt December 11, 2016. / CFP Photo

The UN Security Council on Sunday "condemned in the strongest terms" the attack in a press statement and stressed that "those responsible for these killings should be held accountable."

The council members expressed their deepest sympathy and condolences to the families of the victims and to the government of Egypt and they wished a speedy and full recovery to those who were injured, the statement said.

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