A bomb exploded on Sunday morning, between 9.30 am and 10.00 am near Mar Girgis Church in Tanta, Al-Gharbeya, leaving 13 killed and 42 injured so far, local media reported.
The bombing took place during Christians’ Sunday prayer celebrating Palm Sunday.
01:38 President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi condemned the attack. In an official statement, Al-Sisi said the attack targeting Egyptian Christians will not destroy the will of the Egyptian people in facing ‘evil powers.’
12:35 Prime Minister Sherif Ismail heads a delegation of ministers of solidarity, health, immigration, and administrative development to Gharbeya to follow up on church explosion: Ministers’ Cabinet.
12:30 Al-Sisi calls for meeting with national Defence Council
11:40 Egyptian Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Ahmed El-Tayeb forms delegation of religious officials to visit Tanta church in solidarity with Egyptian Christians. In a condemning statement, Al-Azhar expressed condolences to the families of the victims and said the “terrorist attack” aims at disturbing the unity of the Egyptian people.
11:40 ‘We condemn the terrorist attack on Mar Girgis Church, vow that our state will destroy terrorism from its roots,’ says PM Sherif Ismail
11:18 Foreign Ministry reacts to incident by launching a social media campaign titled “United on Palm Sunday”, as ministry spokesperson calls it “an obnoxious but failed attempt against all Egyptians.”
11:00 Health Ministry announces death toll stands at 21, injuries at 59, state-media MENA reports.
10:56 Ministry of Interior issues statement saying the Gharbeya Security Directorate received reports of an explosion occurring on Sunday morning at Mar Girgis Church in Tanta. Security forces cordoned the place and were accompanied by bomb squads.
10:39 President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi orders military hospitals to immediately receive the injured, local TV reports.
10:15 Reports of between 13 to 15 deaths, nearly 42 injuries.
More to follow
