Death toll rises to 21 in Egypt church attack

The death toll in the bomb attack near a church in Egypt's Tanta, north of Cairo, on Sunday has risen to 21.

Local media reports quoted Egypt's Health Ministry as saying that at least 21 people were killed and 38 others wounded after a bomb struck a church in north of Cairo.

The attack comes just weeks before Pope Francis is due to visit Egypt.

The attack is the latest in a series of assaults on Egypt's Christian minority, which makes up around 10 percent of the population of 92 million and has been repeatedly targeted by the Islamic extremists.

In December last year, 25 people were killed by a suicide bombing at Cairo's main Coptic cathedral. The ISIS later claimed responsibility for the blast.