Policeman killed in explosion in Cairo

At least one policeman was killed in an explosion Tuesday near a police station in Egypt's Greater Cairo capital area, media reported.

The policeman, an explosives expert, was injured when a suspected device he tried to dismantle exploded near Talbia police station in Haram street, Giza province, and died of his injuries after he was transferred to hospital, Xinhua reported citing the website of state-run Al-Ahram newspaper.

Three other people were reportedly injured in the blast. Explosives experts are combing the site for more presumable bombs.

Earlier Tuesday, masked gunmen gunned down two policemen guarding a church in Minya province in south Egypt.

The two attacks took place one day before the Coptic Christmas, ahead of which security has been intensified.

Following former president Mohamed Morsi's removal by the military in July, 2013, a number of churches and public properties were burned and destroyed.

Meanwhile, anti-government attacks killed hundreds of police and military personnel in the Sinai Peninsula and other parts across the country, including Cairo.

Since Morsi's ouster, the crackdown on his loyalists also left about 1,000 people dead while thousands more were arrested.