CAIRO, DEC 28 (DNA) – A gunman opened fire on a church south of Cairo on Friday, killing at least nine people in the latest apparent jihadist attack on the country s Christian minority.

Health ministry spokesman Khaled Megahed told that the gunman was shot dead after killing nine people and wounding others, including a police officer.

But the interior ministry said in a statement that the assailant, a wanted jihadist implicated in attacks on police, had been wounded and arrested.

The jihadist had been armed with an assault rifle, 150 rounds of ammunition and a bomb he intended to set off at the church, the ministry said.

The ministry said he killed two people when he opened fire on a store before heading to the church where he shot dead seven people including an officer.

Cellphone footage posted on social media appeared to show the bearded gunman wearing a bulky ammunition vest sprawled on a street, barely conscious, as people restrained his arms and then handcuffed him.