Citizens donate blood for Helwan church injured

CAIRO – 29 December 2017: Helwan residents donate blood at Al-Nasr Hospital for those who were injured during the militant attack targeting Mar Mina church in Helwan city, southern Cairo.

According to Health Ministry’s spokesman Khaled Mejahed, 10 were killed and five were injured, adding that two of the injured were in critical condition, but all the necessary medicine and medical supplies are available in the hospital.

The Egyptian Ministry of Interior declared also that two policemen were killed. One of the militants was fatally shot by the police guarding the Church of Great Martyr Mina in al-Maasara district in Helwan, while the second one managed to escape.

The security forces defused an explosive belt that was fastened around the killed militant's chest.

The attack attempt was thwarted amid high security measures taken by the Ministry of Interior nationwide ahead of Christmas celebrations in Egypt.