Two policemen were killed and seven others were injured in a blast near the headquarters of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in central Cairo on Sunday morning.
Khaled Safan and Mohamed Mahmoud Abusraa, both from the Cairo Security Directorate, were killed as a result of the blast. Abusraa worked in the General Administration for clubs and hotels as part of the security directorate.
State television reported that at least seven were injured as a result of the blast.
Egyptian Prime Minister, Ibrahim Mehleb, told Daily News Egypt that the bombing was a “failed attempt” to stop “the development that Egypt’s current administration is leading”.
He added that “the world has to fight terrorism to prevent its growth and continuation.”
Prosecutor General Hisham Barakat ordered an investigation into the bombing, according to a statement from his office on Sunday. Officials from the prosecution are expected to interview those injured in the attack to ascertain the sequence of events.
The bomb exploded at 10.45am on 26 July Street in the Bulaq Abul Ela area, near the back gate of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It is unclear whether the building itself was targeted.
One of the policemen killed in the blast was reportedly a key witness in former president Mohamed Mosri’s jailbreak case.
The Ministry of Interior statement said the blast was caused by a homemade device and that an investigation into the incident was underway.
According to a ministry official, a second bomb exploded in Tanta governorate in the Delta region and a third bomb exploded in the Sharqeya governorate. No injuries were reported.
Security personnel and infrastructure have been the stated targets of militant groups such as Ansar Beit Al-Maqdis and Agnad Misr. At the time of writing, no group had claimed responsibility for Sunday’s attack.
Additional reporting by Mohamed Ayyad
