Egypt attack: At least 235 killed, over 100 injured as militants strike North Sinai mosque

“Four groups of armed men attacked the worshippers inside the mosque after Friday noon prayers. Two groups were firing at ambulances to deter them,” a witness named Mohamed told Reuters.

SEE PHOTOS | Egypt attack: See what happened at the North Sinai mosque

Following the attack, Egyptian military reportedly launched air strikes on targets in mountainous areas around Bir al-Abed. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi — who is a strong opponent of Islamist militancy — convened an emergency meeting with his defence and interior minister and chief of intelligence after the attack. In a televised address later, Sisi said the security forces would “avenge the martyrs”. Follow LIVE updates on Egypt mosque attack here

Egypt mosque attack: Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi gives a televised statement on the attack in North Sinai (Egypt State TV via Reuters)

“The armed forces and the police will avenge our martyrs and restore security and stability with the utmost force,” he said. “What is happening is an attempt to stop us from our efforts in the fight against terrorism, to destroy our efforts to stop the terrible criminal plan that aims to destroy what is left of our region.”

Egypt mosque attack: Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi seen during a meeting with government members on the attack in North Sinai (The Egyptian Presidency via Reuters)

Local militant group Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis, which declared allegiance to Islamic State in 2014, is one of Islamic State’s surviving branches following the collapse of its self-declared caliphate in Syria and Iraq. Earlier this year, Islamic State also posted a video of the beheading of two Sufis in northern Sinai, accusing them of practicing “sorcery”. Some reports claimed that the worshippers at the North Sinai mosque on Friday were also Sufis.

Reactions

US President Donald Trump today said the international community cannot tolerate “barbaric terrorist” groups as he called his Egyptian counterpart Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to offer condolences after militants killed over 200 people in Egypt’s North Sinai region. “The international community cannot tolerate barbaric terrorist groups and must strengthen its efforts to defeat terrorism and extremism in all its forms,” the White House
said after the phone call between the two leaders.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian also condemned the attack and said Paris stood with its ally. British Prime Minister Theresa May said she was “appalled by the sickening attack on a mosque in North Sinai. Condolences with all those in Egypt affected by this evil and cowardly act.”

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also condemned the attack. In a message on Twitter, he wrote, “India resolutely supports the fight against all forms of terrorism and stands with the people as well as Government of Egypt.” External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj also spoke with the Foreign Minister of Egypt.

Egypt mosque attack: Worshippers were finishing Friday prayers at the Al Rawdah mosque in Bir al-Abed in North Sinai when the bomb exploded (Google Maps)

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