At least three people have been killed after a gun attack on a Coptic Christian church in Egypt.

A gunman opened fire as he tried to storm the place of worship in Helwan, south of Cairo, during morning prayers, officials said.

Five security guards were wounded and three people have now been confirmed dead by authorities, including two cops, according to local media.

The attacker was shot dead by officers.

An unverified picture of the alleged gunman’s corpse published online appears to show a bearded man wearing a bulky ammunition vest sprawled on a street.

ISIS has killed dozens of Christians in church bombings and shootings across Egypt over the past year, and has threatened further attacks against the minority.

Egypt’s Coptic Christians make up about 10% of the country’s 93million people, and are the largest religious minority in the region.

Source: The Sun