Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
230 die in bomb and gun attack on mosque
AT least 230 worshippers have been killed at a mosque in an atrocity thought to have been carried out by Islamic State supporters.
People were shot dead and a bomb was detonated during Friday prayers.
It is the deadliest attack by Islamic extremists on civilians in Egypt.
A local said: “They were shooting at people as they left the mosque. They were shooting at the ambulances too.” As well as those murdered more than 100 worshippers were injured.
Another resident, Ashraf el-hefny, said many of the victims were workers at a nearby salt company. He added: “Local people brought the wounded to hospital on their own cars and trucks.”
The attackers drove to the mosque in the town of Bir al-abed in North Sinai in four off-road vehicles yesterday before opening fire then storming the building.
Theresa May described the assault on al-rawdah mosque as “sickening”. She added: “Condolences with all those... affected by this evil and cowardly act.”
The intended targets appeared to be supporters of the security forces.
The Islamist insurgency in the region has intensified since Egypt’s military overthrew Islamist President Mohammed Morsi in 2013.
Hundreds of police, soldiers and civilians have been killed since then, mostly in attacks by Sinai Province, which is affiliated to IS.