235 killed in Egypt as IS bomb creche at mosque

A BLOODY bomb and gun attack killed at least 235 worshippers at a mosque in Egypt yesterday.

Militants thought to be affiliated with Islamic State set off a bomb in a children’s creche before spraying the crowd with gunfire.

More than 100 people were also injured in the north Sinai town of Bir al-Abd – the deadliest ever attack on Egyptian civilians by Islamic extremists.

The targeted mosque is attended by Sufis, members of Islam’s mystical movement. Islamic militants, including the local affiliate of the Islamic State group, consider Sufis heretics because of their less literal interpretations of the faith.

Worshippers were finishing Frirows day prayers at the mosque when a bomb exploded in the creche, witnesses said. Around 40 gunmen arrived in off-road vehicles and separated into four groups in positions outside the mosque.

They blocked off escape routes by blowing up cars and opened fire as worshippers tried to escape.

The gunmen were also reported to have fired on emergency workers rushing to the scene. ‘They were shooting at people as they left the mosque,’ said one witness. ‘They were shooting at the ambulances too.’

Pictures from the scene show of bodies inside the mosque. Another witness, Ashraf el-Hefny, said many of the victims were workers at a nearby salt firm who had come for Friday services. ‘Local people brought the wounded to hospital on their own cars and trucks,’ he said.

Egyptian president Abdel-Fattah el- Sisi declared three days of mourning and convened a highlevel meeting of security officials. In a televised address he said the attack ‘will not go unpunished’ and that Egypt will persevere with its war on terrorism.

He vowed to respond with ‘brutal force’ and later in the day the Egyptian air force attacked targets in mountainous areas around Bir al- Abed where militants are believed to be hiding out.

Theresa May said she was appalled by the ‘sickening attack’ and offered condolences to all those affected by what she described as an ‘evil and cowardly’ act.

Donald Trump also condemned the attack and added: ‘The world cannot tolerate terrorism, we must defeat them militarily and discredit the extremist ideology that forms the basis of their existence.’

Security services in Egypt have been battling militants in northern Sinai for years, but previous attacks have targeted security forces and Christians.

Hundreds of soldiers and militants have been killed in the conflict, although exact numbers are unclear as journalists and independent investigators are banned from the area.

‘Shooting at the ambulances’