A grenade was thrown into a famed bazaar in medieval Cairo, killing a French woman and wounding at least 17 people - most of them foreign tourists, officials said.
The blast hit the bustling main plaza at the Khan el-Khalili, a 650-year-old bazaar packed with tourists buying souvenirs, jewellery and handicrafts.
It was last attacked in April 2005, when a suicide bomber killed two French citizens and an American.
The latest blast outside a cafe sent a panicked rush of worshippers from the nearby Hussein mosque. Security officials said the attacker escaped, and within an hour, police found a second grenade and detonated it safely.
"I was praying and there was a big boom and people started panicking and rushing out of the mosque, then police came and sealed the main door, evacuating us out of the back," said Mohammed Abdel Azim, 56, who was in the historic mosque. Outside, blood stained the marble paving stones.
A frantic woman screamed at police sealing off the area to let her look for her daughter.
A medic at the scene said the French woman died in the intensive care unit of the nearby Hussein hospital.
The wounded included three Saudis, 10 French, a German and three Egyptians, said Health Minister Hatem al-Gibali. He said the wounds were largely superficial, though one French victim needed surgery.
The outdoor cafes and restaurants lining the square were packed with crowds, including a large group of Irish tourists at Mohammed Said's Al-Sinousi Cafe.
"There was a big loud boom. Everybody ducked," the cafe owner said. "I ran out to figure out what's happening." The blast sent crowds scrambling in all directions, he said.
