Grand Mufti Shawki Allam, Egypt’s most influential Muslim cleric, condemned on Tuesday the bombing of an Al-Azhar institute in North Sinai, describing it as vicious and an attack of terrorism.

Unidentified assailants earlier on Tuesday bombed an institute belonging to Al-Azhar, the highest Sunni Islamic learning authority, leaving no casualties.

However, a large part of the building was demolished, Ahram Arabic news website reported.

The Grand Mufti said the "vicious" attack mirrors "the terrorists' fear of learning and clerics who spread the moderate [version] of religion that combats their extremism."

In 2014, Dar Al Ifta, the central authority for issuing religious rulings which Allam heads, launched a department that monitors extremist edicts.

Egyptian security forces are battling an Islamist insurgency based in North Sinai, predominately in the north-eastern border area, which mainly targets police and the military.   

The insurgency has rarely targeted civilians.