EgyptWest Asia

Explosion rocks Italy consulate in Egypt capital, 1 killed: Reports

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A large explosion has reportedly rocked the Italian consulate in the Egyptian capital of Cairo, leaving at least one person dead.

According to reports, the explosion, which took place at 6:30 a.m. local time (0430 GMT) on Saturday, caused damage to the facade of the Italian mission’s building and shook the nearby high court in central Cairo.

Hossam Abdel Ghaffar, the spokesman of the Egyptian Health Ministry, said one person has been killed in explosion.

Medical sources said five people, including two police officers stationed near the Italian mission, sustained injuries in the incident.

The exact cause of the blast is still unknown. However, Egyptian media quoted unnamed security sources as saying that it was a car bomb attack.

Following the incident, Italian Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni said on Twitter that the there were no Italian victims among the casualties.

“Our thoughts are with the people affected and with our personnel. Italy will not let itself be intimidated,” said the Italian minister.

The Italian consul in Cairo also inspected the scene, without speaking to media.

No group has claimed responsibility for the incident so far.

The reported bomb attack came less than two weeks after a car bomb attack targeted the vehicle of Egypt’s state prosecutor Hisham Barakat, who later succumbed to his injuries.

The deadly bombing came after ISIL-linked militants in Egypt called for attacks on the judiciary.

Security has deteriorated across the North African country, particularly the Sinai Peninsula, since the ouster of Egypt’s first democratically elected president, Mohamed Morsi, in a military coup in July 2013.

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