21 killed in church bombing in northern Egypt

CAIRO

At least 21 people were killed when a bombing struck a church in northern Egypt on Sunday, according to the country’s health ministry.

The explosion was reported inside St. George church in the Nile Delta city of Tanta early Sunday.

“Twenty-one were killed and 59 others injured in the blast,” ministry spokesman Khaled Mujahed said in a statement.

It remains unclear whether the blast was caused by a bomb or a suicide bombing.

No group has yet claimed responsibility for the bombing.

Sunday’s bombing occurred on Palm Day, a Christian feast commemorating the entry of Jesus Christ into Jerusalem.

In December, a bomb blast struck a church in central Cairo, killing more than 25 people and injured scores.

Coptic Christians are estimated to account for between 8 and 10 percent of Egypt's population of about 90 million.