Bomb blasts injure 11 near key Egyptian mosque

Cairo: Two bombs on Thursday went off outside a major mosque in a Delta city, injuring at least 11 people, state television reported.

The explosions, caused by home-made bombs, occurred outside a restaurant near the famous Al Sayyed Al Badawi Mosque in the northern city of Tanta, according to the broadcaster.

The blasts took place as hundreds of Egyptians were gathering in the area to celebrate the birthday of a 13th century Muslim saint buried in a shrine inside the mosque.

The festival was not affected by the bombings, local media said.

Explosives experts defused a third bomb in the area.

The blasts came two days after a bomb exploded near a courthouse in central Cairo wounding 13 civilians.

Egypt has experienced a series of attacks, targeting mainly security forces since the army deposed Islamist president Mohammad Mursi in mid-2013.

The government has blamed the violence on Mursi's Muslim Brotherhood and declared it a terrorist organization.