Blast at Italian Consulate in Cairo kills 1

A bomb went off close to the Italian Consulate on Saturday, leaving one person dead and at least another nine injured.

In claiming responsibility for the attack, the militant group warned Muslims to stay away from such places. After Saturday’s bombing, police cordoned off the area surrounding the consulate and detained several foreign photographers at the scene, though they were released within a few hours. At least four people are reported hurt.

Egypt has witnessed brutal attacks since June 29 when the late Attorney-General Hesham Barakat was assassinated while three days later, a series of terrorist attacks targeted 15 military and police checkpoints in North Sinai, killing 17 military personnel. The force of the explosion shook a building in downtown Cairo.

Heath Ministry official Hossam Abdel-Ghaffar told The Associated Press that at least one person was killed in the blast.

Italy’s foreign minister Paolo Gentiloni said there were no Italian victims in the blast.

The blast heavily damaged the distinctive early 20th century building that once housed a school and became the Italian Consulate after World War II.

Egyptian journalist Omar Elhady published photos on his Twitter account, showing what he said was the damage inflicted on the consulate building in the Galaa street.

A group calling itself Islamic State in Egypt posted the claim of responsibility to social media, the authenticity of which could not be immediately confirmed.

An Egyptian security official said that, “one civilian and one policeman were also injured“. Charred vehicle parts littered the street, which had flooded in some areas from ruptured water pipes.

In recent weeks, Mr Sisi has promised to crack down further on Islamist militants.

Hundreds of soldiers and policemen have been killed in attacks since the army ousted Islamist president Mohamed Morsi in 2013.

Egypt’s foreign minister Sameh Choukri denounced the attack in a telephone call with Mr Gentiloni and pledged that Cairo would “pursue and intensify its efforts…to fight against terrorism”. The facade of the Consulate, which was closed to the murder at 06:30, was partially destroyed. Al-Sisi then announced a tightening of security legislation a. In early July, there were fierce battles between security forces and Dschihadistengruppen on the Sinai Peninsula.