The Canadian Embassy in Cairo closed over unspecified security concerns.

Speaking to reporters on his way into the House of Commons Monday, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs Deepak Obhrai said the government closed the embassy for the day after it “received reports of possible targets in Cairo.”

Earlier Monday, a spokesperson for Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird said the government is monitoring the situation closely and taking appropriate security measures.

“We take the safety of our personnel and our mission overseas very seriously,” Baird’s Press Secretary Adam Hodge said in an email to CTV News. “We don't comment publicly on security precaution specifics at our missions.”

Speaking on condition of anonymity, an Egyptian official told The Associated Press that Canadians asked for all roads surrounding the embassy to be closed, and for added security. But the Egyptian official said while they could increase security, the roads could not be closed.

The closure comes after the British and Australian embassies shut their doors over the weekend. Egypt has seen a series of militant attacks following last year’s ouster of Mohammed Morsi. The Canadian embassy last closed in August 2013.

While Baird’s office did not detail the exact security issue, CTV London Bureau Chief Ben O’Hara-Byrne noted the ongoing threat from the Islamic State militant group in the region.

“They (ISIS) have of course called on attacks against foreign nationals wherever they have affiliate groups -- of course, in Egypt. And there’s also reports suggesting there has been an arrest in the past few weeks of an Islamist militant in Egypt who had spoken of planned attacks against foreign embassies in Cairo.”

O’Hara-Byrne also reported there is concern, especially amongst the American community in Cairo, about the potential fallout from an upcoming U.S. Senate report on the use of torture by the CIA, expected Tuesday. He said the there is fear ISIS will use the report as a propaganda tool.

Both the Canadian and British embassies are located in Cairo’s Garden City neighbourhood. The U.S. embassy, located near the Canadian mission, remained open Monday. American diplomats received a warning from their government this month, reminding them to be aware of ongoing threats.

With files from the Associated Press