235 dead in deadliest terror attack on Egypt’s mosque

No fewer than 235 worshippers were killed in bomb ang gun attack on an Egyptian mosque yesterday.

The attack on the packed mosque located in Egypt’s restive North Sinai province is regarded as the deadliest in Egypt’s recent history.

A bomb was said to have gone off at the Rawda mosque dominated by Muslims of the Sufi order before gunmen also opened fire on worshippers that gathered for the weekly Friday prayers.

According to eyewitness accounts, the assailants surrounded the mosque with vehicles and planted a bomb outside. They then mowed down the panicked worshippers as they attempted to flee, using the congregants’ vehicles they had set alight to block routes to the mosque.

State television reported that at least 235 people were killed while 109 others were wounded in the attack, prompting the government to declare three days of mourning.

Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari has sent condolences to the government and people of Egypt over the heartless attacks on a mosque in North Sinai that left many dead after prayers yesterday.

President Buhari, in a statement by the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, condemned the dastardly act on innocent worshippers.

He said the attacks had further reinforced the position that terrorism has no relationship or respect for any religion, and should be visited with the full wrath of the law.

The President reiterated that the workable panacea to such mindless and irresponsible attacks on citizens would be a global joint action that continually shares intelligence, simulates scenarios and regularly updates on both local and international threats.

He prayed that the Almighty God will receive the souls of the departed, and comfort the families of those directly affected