• Home
• News
• Middle East

Coptic Christians in Tanta attacked the city’s security chief amid claims he failed to provide adequate protection after a deadly bombing attack that saw 27 people killed at Mar Girgis church earlier on Sunday.

In the wake of the attacks, the Tanta area security chief Hossam El-Din Khalifa was relieved of duty, according to state-owned Al Ahram news.

The attack on Khalifa, which was caught on video, reportedly took place at ‎St. George's Cathedral.
The explosion killed at least 27 people, and was followed hours later by a second bombing at a church in Alexandria, which killed 17.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi declared a state of emergency for three months after the attacks. Under the country's constitution, Sisi will have to put the measure before parliament, which is stacked with his supporters, for approval within a week.

RELATED LINKS:

UPDATE: Egypt’s Sisi declares three-month state of emergency

WATCH: Mounting death toll as blasts hit churches in Tanta, Alexandria

VIDEO: Footage shows moment suicide bomber attacked Alexandria church

GRAPHIC: First photos emerge after deadly church bombing in Egypt