[Jpost] A combined bombing and shooting attack at a mosque in the northern Sinai on Friday has caused major casualties, according to Egyptian officials.
A state of emergency was declared across the province following the attack that came as worshipers were conducting their Friday prayers at the Al Rawdah mosque in Bir al-Abed, west of Arish city.
At least 54 were killed and 75 were wounded in the attack, according to a health ministry spokesman.
Egyptian defense officials said the attack began with explosions and then assailants began firing with machine guns into the mosque.
Witnesses said militants entered the mosque, shot the worshipers, lit a vehicle outside the mosque on fire, and then proceeded to close the area to prevent rescue forces from operating.
The Sinai Peninsula has been the arena for increasing violence between the Egyptian military and jihadi militants loyal to ISIS.
In the past, military or police checkpoints and convoys were the preferred tactic.
Eighty-five dead, 80 injured.
According to eyewitnesses who spoke to Al-Ahram’s Arabic website, the gunmen fired heavily on worshippers after IEDs were detonated at the mosque. |