By Aydogan Kalabalik
CAIRO (AA): An explosion rocked Egypt’s capital, Cairo, late Monday when a man blew himself up behind Al-Azhar mosque, local media reported.
At least two police officers were killed and another three were injured in the suicide attack in the Al Darb al-Ahmar neighborhood in Khan el-Khalili tourist marketplace, the Interior Ministry said in a statement. The explosion shattered windows and blew curtains off nearby balconies. Egypt’s renowned Al-Azhar mosque is nearby.
The blast occurred in Gamaliya district after police surrounded the suspect following a chase.
According to a report by local news site Egypt Today, security forces identified the attacker as Al Hasan Abdullah, 37, who resided in the old neighborhood.
The suspect was allegedly involved in an attack in Giza governate last Friday in which an improvised explosive device (IED) was planted near Al-Istiqamah Mosque, the ministry added.
Al-Azhar, the highest seat of learning in the Sunni Islamic world, condemned the attack in a statement early Tuesday.
It stressed that the security officials who were tracking the suspect prevented a larger attack from taking place.
Egypt’s Mufti’s office also condemned the attack, noting that terrorist organizations are uncomfortable with the country’s “security and stability”.
Both institutions wished God’s mercy on those who died and offered condolences to their relatives.
Egypt’s Prosecutor-General Nabil Sadek launched an investigation into the attack.
*Jeyhun Aliyev contributed to this story from Ankara
Additional report by The Muslim News
[Photo: Wreckage of belongings are seen at the scene of a suicide bombing after an explosion rocked Egypt’s capital, Cairo, when a man blew himself up behind Al-Azhar mosque, on February 19, 2019. Photographer: Stringer/AA]
