People are seen outside the Mar Mina Church after a blast, in Helwan district on the outskirts of Cairo, Egypt December 29, 2017. (REUTERS PHOTO)

CAIRO, Dec. 29 (Xinhua) -- At least two policemen, three civilians and one militant were killed in a shootout outside a church south of Cairo on Friday, state-media reported.

"The security forces frustrated an attack on church in Mar Mina Church in the Helwan district," said the interior ministry statement.

One attacker was killed and another has fled the scene on a motorbike, the statement said. It added two policemen were killed in exchange of fire.

Local media reported three passerbys were killed.

No group yet claimed responsibility for the attack.

The Islamic State group's affiliate in Egypt has killed dozens of Christians in church bombings and shootings over the past year.

Egypt's Coptic Christians, the largest religious minority in the region, make up about 10 percent of the country's 93 million people.