CAIRO, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- The death toll of a bomb attack at a Coptic church in Egypt's capital Cairo on Sunday rose to 25, mostly Christians, while police and prosecution teams have launched probes into the incident.
Earlier in the day, a bomb went off inside the al-Botrossiya Coptic Church in Cairo's Abassiya neighborhood that was full of worshippers attending Sunday mass, leaving 25 people dead and 49 injured, 10 of them in critical condition, according to the Health Ministry.
Security sources told state-run MENA news agency that initial inspections revealed that the blast was caused by a 12-kilogram highly-explosive TNT bomb.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attack so far. However, fingers are pointed at the Islamic State-affiliated Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis (ABM) group which operates in the country's restive North Sinai province.
The attack came one day after an Egyptian court confirmed last year's death sentence against prominent ABM's militant leader Adel Habara over the killing of dozens of policemen in North Sinai.
It also coincided with the Muslims' celebration of al-Mawlid al-Nabawi, Prophet Muhammad's birthday anniversary.
Security forces, medical teams and firefighters beefed up presence at the vicinity of the church, which is adjacent to the main Saint Mark Cathedral Complex that contains a number of churches as well as the residence place of the Coptic Pope Tawadros II, head of Egypt's Orthodox Church.
The Interior Ministry said in a press release that security forces rushed to the scene and conducted search for the assailants as well as other possible explosive devices.
Meanwhile, the Egyptian Public Prosecution ordered investigators to review CCTVs installed inside and outside the church for more evidences.
An investigation team reached hospitals to question the injured, while other teams were assigned to investigate the scene of the blast and prepare a technical report, a statement by the prosecution said.
Right after the blast, dozens of civilians flocked to the church to show solidarity with the victims and their families.
The protesters urged the police to act quickly in order to bring the perpetrators to justice.
Egyptian Prime Minister Sherif Ismail, the interior minister and the prosecutor general visited the church to have a close look at the ongoing investigations.
"All Egyptians, Muslims and Christians, stand united against black terrorism," MENA quoted Ismail as saying. "Those attacks won't undermine efforts to counter terrorism in all its forms."
Presidential Advisor for Religious Affairs Usama al-Azhari also denounced the terrorist bombing, adding that the attack was a "stab in the heart of all the Egyptian people."
Al-Azhar, Egypt's top Sunni Islamic institution, also condemned the terror attack and offered its condolences to Pope Tawadros II of Alexandria and Patriarch of Saint Mark Diocese, the bereaved families and all Egyptians.
"Targeting places of worship and killing innocent people are considered criminal acts that contradict with Islam and all religions' teachings that call for protecting places of worship," al-Azhar said in a press statement.
In 2013, angry Islamist protesters attacked a number of Copts' churches and homes across the North African country for their support to the military's removal of Islamist president Mohamed Morsi.
Although there are no accurate statistics, some reports said that Copts constitute over 10 percent of the 92 million population of the most populous Arab state.
In Egypt, bomb attacks are endemic in North Sinai Province where the ABM group has carried out hundreds of anti-security attacks following the ouster of Morsi by the army in response to mass protests against his rule in 2013.
However, some attacks crept to Cairo and other major cities across the most populous Arab country.
On Friday, six policemen were killed when explosive devices exploded at a security checkpoint stationed near a mosque on the road leading to the Pyramids near Cairo.
A minor Islamist military faction claimed responsibility for the attack.
The terrorist attacks have claimed lives of hundreds of police and army personnel as well as a number of civilians.
