Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi said that the Egyptian state is determined to defeat "brutal terrorism," nearly one day after a deadly blast in central Cairo killed at least 20 people.
In an official statement on Facebook, El-Sisi stressed that the state is determined to "pull out terrorism by the roots."
The Egyptian president expressed his condolences to the Egyptian people and the families of the victims.
El-Sisi s statement came shortly after the interior ministry said that the deadly blast took place when a vehicle laden with explosives collided with three other cars near the National Cancer Institute in Manyal, killing 20 people and injuring 47.
The ministry said the explosives laden vehicle was reported stolen a few months ago in Menoufiya.
The ministry said that the terrorist group Hasm, which is affiliated with the banned Muslim Brotherhood, was behind the blast.
According to the ministry, the vehicle was on its way to carry out a terrorist operation, although the target of the planned attack is unclear.
Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly has tasked Egypt s leading construction company with immediately starting repairs on the National Cancer Institute (NCI) building, which was damaged in the explosion.
Madbouly called on the Arab Contractors company to make speedy repairs given that the institute provides important services for many patients.
The prime minister also followed up on the condition of the injured.
Thirty patients at the NCI have been transferred to other hospitals due to the damage caused by the blast.
The US embassy in Cairo has said in a statement that it strongly condemns the bombing.
"We stand with Egypt in its fight against terrorism and we extend our condolences to the families of the victims and wish for a speedy recovery to those who were wounded," read the statement on the embassy s Facebook page.
The EU has also condemned the attack.
"I strongly condemn this deplorable terrorist act that caused the death of 20 innocent people and the injury of 50," Ambassador of the European Union to Egypt Ivan Surkos said on his Twitter account on Monday.
Surkos also stressed the EU s solidarity with Egypt in the fight against terrorism, saying that the EU "stands side by side with Egypt."
