U.S. condemns church bombing in Egypt

The United States has condemned the terrorist attack on Christian worshippers outside St Mark's Cathedral in Cairo that has killed more than 25 people and injured dozens more in the strongest possible terms.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry in a phone call to his Egyptian counterpart Sameh Shoukry expressed his deepest condolences to the families of the victims.

Kerry also made clear that the United States will continue to stand with the people of Egypt as they face threats from terrorist organizations and work to achieve a stable, secure, and prosperous future.

Earlier, the U.S. embassy in Cairo condemned the attack and said that it mourns those killed in the attack on the Coptic Orthodox Cathedral in Cairo.

"We strongly condemn this hateful act of violence, which targeted Egypt's Christian community. We stand with Egypt in opposing all acts of terrorism as we support a stable, secure, prosperous future for all Egyptians," the Embassy said in a press statement.

UN Security Council also strongly condemned the terrorist attack in Egyptian capital, Cairo.

Egyptian state TV reported that the bomb exploded in a chapel close to the outer wall of St Mark's Cathedral, the seat of Egypt's Orthodox Christian church and home to the office of its spiritual leader, Pope Tawadros II.

There were conflicting reports as to the nature of the attack. Egypt's official Mena news agency said an assailant threw a bomb into a chapel close to the outer wall of the cathedral, but some witnesses suggested an explosive device had been planted inside the building.

On 14 August 2013, mobs attacks dozens of churches across the country after police killed hundreds of pro-Morsi protesters in Cairo.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for Sunday's attack.