FILE PHOTO: Pigeons fly over a cross from a church on the Cairo-Alexandria desert road in Cairo, Egypt April 10, 2017. (REUTERS photo)

CAIRO, May 26 (Xinhua) -- At least 23 Christians were killed and 25 others wounded on Friday when unknown militant opened fire on a bus carrying them to a church in Egypt's southern province of Minya, state-run TV reported.

The gunmen intercepted the bus, on the way to Samuel monastery south of Cairo, and opened the fire randomely, Xinhua reporter quoted a security source at the scene as saying.

The victims were transferred to Minya National Hospital.

Security force sealed off the desert road in combing and searching for the perpetrators.