UPDATE 2 – OIC, Qatar condemn Cairo bomb attack

REVISES DEATH TOLL, CHANGES DECK AND LEDE

By Ahmed Yusuf and Viola Fahmy

DOHA (AA) – The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and Qatar on Tuesday condemned a suicide bombing in Egypt’s capital that killed three police officers.

In a statement, OIC Secretary-General Yousef al-Othaimeen stressed the pan-Muslim grouping's solidarity with Egypt in the face of terrorism.

"Such criminal acts will only increase the strength and determination of Egypt and the Egyptians to eliminate terrorist groups," al-Othaimeen said.

Qatar also strongly condemned the attack.

In a statement, the Foreign Ministry affirmed Qatar's "constant stance rejecting violence and terrorism" and offered condolences to the families of the victims and the Egyptian people.

Late Monday, two police officers were killed and another two were injured when a militant detonated an explosive device in Cairo’s old Islamic district close to Al Azhar mosque, according to Egypt’s Interior Ministry.

The ministry said Tuesday in a statement that the death toll had risen to three after a police officer died of his wounds.

The attack occurred as security forces were pursuing the militant.

According to a report by local news site Egypt Today, security forces identified the attacker as Al Hasan Abdullah, 37.

The suspect was allegedly involved in an attack in Giza province last Friday in which an improvised explosive device (IED) was planted near a mosque.

Relations between Egypt and Qatar have been strained since 2013, when the military deposed Mohamed Morsi, Egypt's first freely elected president, who was backed by Doha.

In mid-2017, Egypt joined a Saudi-led bloc in severing diplomatic and trade relations with Qatar, accusing Doha of supporting terrorism, a claim vehemently denied by Qatar.