Cairo, Dec 8 (IANS): The Canadian embassy in Egypt's capital Cairo was closed Monday until further notice due to security concerns, the embassy said.

A recorded message on its emergency telephone line said "the embassy is presently closed," adding that "if you are Canadian citizens facing urgent matter, your call will be transferred to the emergency officer in Ottawa of Canada", Xinhua reported.

A message on the embassy's website read: "The ability to provide consular services may occasionally be limited for short periods due to unsettled security conditions."

This is the second diplomatic mission in Cairo to shut its doors to the public this week.

The British embassy in Cairo closed to the public Sunday for security reasons. The closure "is in the best interests of staff", according to an embassy spokesperson.

A notice on the British embassy website Monday said its services remained suspended.

Egypt is witnessing a wave of attacks since the ouster of Islamist president Mohamed Morsi in July last year. The attacks were centered basically in the Sinai peninsula, but they have expanded to the capital and some Nile Delta provinces, claiming the lives of hundreds of police and army personnel.

The Sinai-based Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis, which was founded in 2011, claimed responsibility for most of the deadly attacks. The group also threatened to attack some foreign embassies in Egypt.