Video: Explosion Inside a Cairo Coptic Cathedral Leaves At Least 25 Dead and 35 Injured

Following the explosion of two bombs on Friday, an explosion near Cairo’s Coptic cathedral claimed the lives of at least 25 people and injured 35, several of which were children and women, according to Health Minister Ahmed Emad who spoke with the CBC extra satellite channel this morning. 

The explosion took place this morning in the small church of St Peter and St Paul which are attached to the El-Botroseya Coptic Cathedral in Abbasiya. The injured have been transferred to Dar El-Shefaa and Ain Shams University Hospital. The Minister of Defense also ordered the opening of all Army hospitals to the injured, and the Minister of Health is on location at the Cathedral now.

As of yet, no one has claimed responsibility and all main roads leading and surrounding the cathedral have been blocked off.

Check back here for updates.

Update

In a statement, President Sisi declared three days of national mourning following the terrorist attack earlier today. 

Police forces have cordoned off the area around the Church, while  family members of the victims have been gathering at the location to pray for their loved ones, insisting to go inside the church to pray for them, amidst rising tensions between them and the police.

CCTV footage released of the bombing as it happened.