The Buzz | Cairo explosion destroys parts of Italian consulate

A blast rocked central Cairo on Saturday, destroyed parts of the Italian consulate, said Gamal Halawa, deputy head of Cairo’s Civil Defense. The blast was caused by a car bomb, Al Arabiya television reported, citing a security official it didn’t identify. Mina Erian, head of the Italian Club, which is located in the consulate’s compound, said by phone that there were no casualties among the consulate’s staff. An Egyptian national was wounded in the explosion, state-run Ahram Gate website reported.
“It was very loud, very frightening,” Abdo El-Rashidy, a security guard at the consulate, said by phone. “The windows and doors of one side of the consulate were shattered.” Attacks have increased in Egypt in the past month. A car bomb killed the country’s top prosecutor on June 29. Two days later, militants affiliated with Islamic State in northern Sinai struck security forces, killing at least 20 soldiers before the army regained control.