The blast happened days after Egypt leading prosecutor Hisham Barakat was killed in a car bomb.
At least one person was killed and nine others injured today in a powerful explosion outside the Italian consulate in the Egyptian capital.
Health Ministry spokesperson Hossam Abdel-Ghaffar confirmed the death of one person in the blast caused by a bomb that had been planted in a car parked near the consulate in central Cairo. The bomb caused interior damage to the entrance of the Italian consulate and some facades of surrounding buildings. The explosion ruptured underground water pipes, flooding the area. The security forces have cordoned off the area. No group claimed responsibility for the blast.
Islamist militants have carried out roadside bombs and suicide attacks which have so far targeted members of the security forces and officials. A car bomb killed Egypt's top public prosecutor recently and militants affiliated to Islamic State attacked several military checkpoints in North Sinai, in what was the fiercest fighting in the region in years.
The army said 17 soldiers and more than 100 militants were killed in those clashes
Twitter posts spoke about windows being rattling due to the blast intensity.
Italy will not be intimidated by the deadly bombing of its consulate in Cairo, Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni said today. "Bombing against our consulate in Cairo, there are no Italian victims," Gentiloni tweeted shortly after the attack that left one person dead. "Our thoughts are with the people affected and with our personnel. Italy will not let itself be intimidated.
"A powerful explosion ripped through the Italian consulate in central Cairo early yesterday, partly damaging the building and killing one person. A medic at the scene of the blast in Cairo told an AFP reporter that the casualties were two policemen and three passers-by, but was unable to specify which of them was the person killed.
With agency inputs
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