Egyptian explosives expert killed defusing bomb at Cairo church
An Egyptian police officer has been killed while defusing a bomb in a church in eastern Cairo days before Coptic Christians celebrate Christmas.
A police officer was killed and two others wounded in an explosion outside a church in Egypt on Saturday, a security source said.
The blast took place when security personnel were dismantling an explosive device in Nasr City on the edge of Cairo, the source said.
The incident came two days before Egypt’s Coptic Christians celebrate Christmas on 7 January.
Egyptian security forces have stepped up their presence outside churches and other places of worship ahead of New Year’s Eve and Coptic Christmas, which is celebrated on 7 January.
The Copts, who make up about 10 percent of the population, have long complained of discrimination. They have also frequently been attacked by the Islamic State (IS) group, which sees them as infidels, prompting authorities to place armed guards outside churches and monasteries.
