Egypt's army foiled an attack on a church in North Sinai " Rafah " on the eve of Coptic Christmas, a spokesman said on Monday, as Pope Tawadros II prayed for security in the country.

Armed forces spokesman Colonel Ahmed Ali said that army patrols discovered a car carrying explosives between a church and a military checkpoint under construction in the early hours of Monday.

The armed forces "have foiled an attempt to bomb the Rafah Church in North Sinai," he said.Another car, which had no license plates and carried masked men, escaped before troops could stop it.