The bomb, which was planted near al-Rowda mosque in Al-Arish city, went off during Friday prayers
At least 235 worshippers were killed and 109 others injured when heavily-armed militants bombed a mosque and opened fire on people attending Friday prayers in Egypt's restive North Sinai region, in the deadliest terror attack in the country.
Egyptians gather outside the Rawda mosque, 40 kilometres west of the North Sinai capital of El-Arish, following a gun and bomb attack, on Friday. Pic/AFP
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The militants launched a targeted bomb and gun attack on the al-Rowda mosque in Al-Arish city during the Friday prayers, the state-run MENA news agency reported. After the bomb ripped through the mosque, the gunmen on four off-road vehicles opened fire on the worshippers, it said. At least 235 worshippers were killed and 109 others injured in the attack, Ahram Online said. Pictures from the scene show rows of bloodied victims inside the mosque.
The blasts from improvised explosive devices caused considerable damage to the mosque, the website said. Speaking to state-run Masriya TV station, Egyptian health ministry spokesman Khalid Mujahid described the incident as a "terrorist attack." One report said the target appeared to be supporters of the security forces who were praying at the mosque. Locals are also quoted as saying that followers of Sufism, or Islamic mysticism, regularly gathered at the mosque.
Islamist jihadist groups, including so-called Islamic State (IS), see Sufis as heretics. About 50 ambulances were rushed to the attack site to shift the injured to hospitals. No one has yet claimed responsibility for the attack and there is no word yet on what happened to the militants involved.
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