CAIRO, Jan 6 (Aswat Masriya) – A police officer was killed and three others were injured earlier on Tuesday in an explosion outside a police station in Giza, the health ministry said.

The police officer was trying to defuse an Improvised Explosive Device planted in the vicinity of the police station when it exploded, instantly killing him. Two more civilians and a security personnel were also wounded, the ministry added.

Bombings and shootings targeting security forces have surged since the ouster of Islamist president Mohamed Mursi in July 2013.

Masked men gunned down two policemen guarding a church in Minya earlier on Tuesday, killing them.