UPDATE 2: Bomb Goes Off In Cairo’s Downtown, No Deaths

A bomb in Cairo’s downtown went off late Tuesday, injuring pedestrians and causing damages to a number of shops. No deaths have been reported.

Head of the Cairo ambulance department, Mohamed Sultan, says at least 13 were injured in the blast, three of whom are in critical condition.

The blast was near Ramses Street’s metro station in the vicinity of the High Court Building. The area, which has witnessed recurring violence over the past three years, is usually crowded and bustling with street vendors.

It was initially thought a bomb was planted in a private car parked in the area but investigation revealed an improvised explosive device was behind the explosion, which took place near the vehicle.

Many cities in Egypt were hit by bomb attacks over the past year following the ouster of Islamist president Mohamed Morsi in 2013.

While the Muslim Brotherhood, from which Morsi hails, denies any involvement in such attacks, other Islamist groups claimed responsibilities for some of them, including Al-Qaeda-inspired group Ansar Beit Al-Maqdis, or (Partisans of Jerusalem).

Source : Ahram online