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Egyptian President Abdel-Fatah El Sisi said the attack on worshipers at a mosque in Sinai on November 24 was “dastardly and cowardly” [Courtesy: Egyptian State TV]
The Egyptian State Prosecutor issued a statement today saying that an improvised explosive device went off just as Muslim worshipers were gathering for Friday prayers at the Beur El Abes, in North Sinai’s Al-Arish city, shortly before noon.
The Interior Ministry said there were gunmen outside the mosque who fired at worshipers as they fled the explosion.
In Russia, the Kremlin said that President Vladimir Putin sent condolences to his Egyptian counterpart Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi and pledged Moscow’s help in anti-terrorism efforts.
“The murder of civilians in the course of an act of worship is striking with its cruelty and cynicism. We are once again convinced that the notion of human morality is absolutely alien to terrorists,” Putin said in a statement released by the Kremlin.
El-Sisi on Friday evening strongly condemned the attack and said that his government would respond to the attack in the fiercest way.
“We declared a state of mourning following this dastardly, cowardly terrorist attack which is targeting our stability,” he said.
“This attack strengthens our resolve and the resolve of our armed forces to respond strongly against this vile extremist takfiri terrorists,” he added.
“We are fighting this terrorism alone and on behalf of the world. They will not bend our resolve nor will they destroy what is left of our region.”
Meanwhile, the United Arab Emirates Foreign Ministry condemned the attack and said “this horrible crime exposes, beyond doubt, the ugly face of terrorism that does not respect the human soul and the sanctity of places of worship”.
Iraq, which continues to suffer from deadly bombings – including at places of worship, Bahrian and Kuwait also condemned the attack.
US President Donald Trump said the attack was cowardly.
“The world cannot tolerate terrorism, we must defeat them militarily and discredit the extremist ideology that forms the basis of their existence!” he Tweeted on Twitter.
Estonia, France, Israel, Palestine, Sweden and the UK also strongly condemned the attack.
Turkey’s Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavu?o?lu took to Twitter to condemn the attack and express solidarity with the Egyptian people.
Egypt has in recent years suffered casualties as Islamist extremist forces target members of the security and armed forces, as well as Christian churches and clergymen.
The BRICS Post with inputs from Agencies
