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Cairo, Nov 24: Over 235 people were killed and at least 135 people were injured in a mosque attack in Egypt’s Northern Sinai province. Attackers used explosives and also shot at people on the site. As per reports, the attack was reported from a mosque in the al-Rawda area near the provincial capital of El-Arish as people assembled for the weekly prayers. Prime Minister Narendra Modi condemned the ‘barbaric terrorist attack’ and said India stand Egypt to fight against all forms of terrorism.Initially Health ministry spokesperson Khaled Megahed told satellite channel Extra News that at least 75 people have been injured. He also added that soon after the attack was reported, the government sent 30 ambulances to the scene.
A report by Press Trust of India said, the bomb was planted near al-Rowda mosque in Al- Arish city and went off during the Friday prayer. Gunmen also opened fire on the people who tried to exit the mosque after the explosion, the sources added.
All injured were taken to Arish Bir Al-Abed and Arish General hospital.
Reportedly, eyewitnesses speaking to Al-Ahram’s Arabic website said gunmen fired heavily upon the worshipers after detonating improvised explosive devices (IED) at the mosque.
Soon after attack, President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi called for a meeting with security officials to discuss the attack and the future course of action.
No terrorist group has yet claimed responsibility for the attack.
This attack comes days after police action killed three Islamist terrorists. Prior to that Egyptian soldiers were ambushed by militants in Sinai province.
Terror attacks have surged in the recent years, with several such attacks targetting civilians in mosques and ambushing the military, after Egypt’s military overthrew Islamist President Mohammed Morsi in July 2013.
