- Title: Deadly cathedral blast 'will hopefully not reoccur' - Egypt PM
- Date: 11th December 2016
- Summary: CAIRO, EGYPT (DECEMBER 11, 2016) (REUTERS) PEOPLE GATHERED OUTSIDE OF CATHEDRAL EGYPTIAN PRIME MINISTER SHERIF ISMAIL ARRIVES TO SCENE (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) EGYPTIAN PRIME MINISTER, SHERIF ISMAIL, SAYING: "There are reports that are being prepared in regards to this incident, which will hopefully not reoccur." PEOPLE GATHERED AROUND COPTIC PRIEST VEHICLE DRIVING AWAY, WOMAN SHOUTING "WHY ARE YOU LEAVING THEM? HAVE MERCY ON US" MEDICS STANDING BY STRETCHER, PEOPLE GATHERED OUTSIDE CATHEDRAL PEOPLE GATHERED OUTSIDE CATHEDRAL ARMED POLICE AND PEOPLE OUTSIDE CATHEDRAL PEOPLE GATHERED AROUND MUFTI OUTSIDE CATHEDRAL COPTIC PRIEST TALKING TO CROWD CROWD GATHERED OUTSIDE CATHEDRAL COPTIC PRIEST TALKING TO CROWD VARIOUS OF PEOPLE GATHERED TO LISTEN TO PRIEST PROTESTERS CHANTING "GOD, GOD" PROTESTERS CHANTING "BRING THEM JUSTICE, OR DIE LIKE THEM" PEOPLE OUTSIDE CATHEDRAL EXTERIOR OF CATHEDRAL PEOPLE WALKING IN FRONT OF DAR AL-SHEFA HOSPITAL SIGN ON ENTRANCE OF HOSPITAL READING (Arabic) "DAR AL-SHEFA HOSPITAL, EMERGENCY" PEOPLE WALKING OUT OF HOSPITAL DOOR (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) BLOOD DONOR, UNIDENTIFIED MAN, SAYING: "It's a hit against all of Egypt. Not just Christians or Muslims. We hope things get better, that's all we hope." PEOPLE GATHERED OUTSIDE OF HOSPITAL (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) BLOOD DONATOR, UNIDENTIFIED MAN, SAYING: "I woke up to the news, when the blast happened, I called a friend and he said it's a total destruction in there, and it's terrible, terrible, that's all, but hopefully we will survive this, we're all Egyptians and we urge Egyptians not to let what happened slide." VARIOUS OF FAMILIES WAITING OUTSIDE OF HOSPITAL (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) BLOOD DONATOR, UNIDENTIFIED MAN, SAYING: "We're all one. There's no such thing as Muslim and Christian, there are only Egyptians. We pray that God will protect Egypt and that everything will get better." VARIOUS OF RELATIVES ENTERING HOSPITAL AMBULANCE PULLING UP IN FRONT OF HOSPITAL
- Embargoed: 26th December 2016 14:49
- Keywords: Egypt blast Coptic church deaths violence bomb aftermath hospital
- Location: CAIRO, EGYPT
- City: CAIRO, EGYPT
- Country: Egypt
- Reuters ID: LVA0015CFVHAF
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Egypt's Prime Minister Sherif Ismail said on Sunday (December 11) he hoped a deadly explosion in a cathedral in Cairo "will hopefully not reoccur", as he visited the site of the blast.
The explosion inside Cairo's St Mark's Coptic cathedral killed at least 25 people, most of them women, and injured 49, Egypt's state television said.
Security sources told Reuters that at least six children were among the dead.
Police and armoured vehicles filled the streets surrounding the church and tens of protesters have gathered in front of the church to call for retribution.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility, however, some supporters of the Islamic State militant group celebrated the attack on social media.
A device containing about 12 kg (26 pounds) of the explosive TNT had denoted on the women's side of the cathedral, the security sources said.
At Dar al-Shefa hospital, a man who'd come to donate blood, said the explosion was an attack against all of Egypt.
The attack comes as Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi battles against an Islamist insurgency in Northern Sinai, led by the Egyptian branch of Islamic State.
The militant group has also carried out deadly attacks in Cairo and has urged its supporters to launch attacks around the world in recent weeks as it goes on the defensive in its Iraqi and Syrian strongholds. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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