Security forces assigned to secure Saint Mark's Coptic Orthodox Cathedral managed to prevent the suicide bomber from entering the church where he had planned to detonate his explosive belt, according to a statement from a high-ranking official affiliated to the Interior Ministry.
The attacked attempted to breach the church entrance while Pope Tawadros II was delivering a sermon for Palm Sunday. The Pope is unharmed; however, the suicide bomber detonated the belt while restrained by security forces, resulting in the death of a police officer, a non-commissioned police officer and a female officer Maj. Gen. Nagwa Abdel Aal el-Nagar, the statement read.
"The explosion also killed citizens and the authorities are still recording the fatalities," the statement read.
