Egypt's Coptic churches hit by deadly blasts on Palm Sunday

Two blasts targeting Coptic Christians in Egypt on Palm Sunday have killed at least 45 people, officials say.

An explosion at St George's Coptic church in Tanta killed 29 people. Hours later, a blast outside St Mark's Coptic church in Alexandria left 16 dead.

So-called Islamic State (IS) said it was behind the explosions, the latest in a series of attacks targeting the Christian minority in the country.

President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi ordered military deployments across Egypt.

In a statement, he said the army would be sent to protect "vital and important infrastructure". The government announced three days of mourning.

In Alexandria, Pope Tawadros II, head of the Coptic Church, had been attending Mass inside the church targeted but was not hurt, state media reported.

Four police officers, including one policewoman, were among those killed, the interior ministry said. The suicide bomber blew himself up after they stopped him from entering the church.