An Egyptian explosive expert has been killed in an explosion while defusing a bomb in a church in Nasr City, in eastern Cairo, Egypt.
Two police officers were injured in the explosion, reports Euronews.
This happened less than two days before Coptic Christmas, a religious event celebrated by Egypt’s Christians.
The Copts, who make up around 10 percent of the population, have long complained of discrimination. They have also frequently been attacked by Islamist militants who see them as infidels, prompting authorities to place armed guards outside churches and monasteries.
In November, militants killed seven people returning from baptising a child at a Coptic monastery about 260 km (160 miles) up the River Nile from Cairo.