Egypt: 235 dead in Nov. 24 Sinai mosque attack /update 2

Event

The casualty toll from the terrorist attack carried out at the Al-Rawda mosque has risen to 235 dead and 120 wounded, according to Egyptian state television. The attack was carried out in the town of Bir Al-Abed, approximately 40 km (25 mi) west of Al-Arish (North Sinai), during Friday prayers on November 24. Unidentified armed men reportedly opened fire on worshipers after an explosion at the site. The assailants also reportedly shot at individuals fleeing the mosque as well as at ambulances. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack as of yet.

This is the deadliest militant attack in the Sinai region and one of the deadliest incidents ever in Egypt. The mosque was reportedly frequented by Sufis, followers of a mystical branch of Islam deemed heretical by hardline Islamists who criticize the use of shrines and reverence of saints. The Egyptian government has declared three days of mourning in response to the attack. 

Context

The restive Sinai Peninsula has been the site of frequent attacks by Islamic State (IS)-affiliated militants since 2013 - usually targeting security forces or minority Coptic Christians. According to President Abdel-Fattah el-Sisi, the threat of terrorism has increased in the country following major territorial losses suffered by IS in Iraq and Syria, which have caused many of its militants to come to Egypt.

Egypt is currently under a state of emergency, originally declared following IS attacks on churches in Alexandria and Tanta that killed 44 people on Palm Sunday in April 2017.

Advice

Due to the prevailing threat of terrorism, individuals throughout Egypt should report any suspicious objects or behavior to the authorities and always be on guard when visiting sites deemed particularly vulnerable to an attack (public transportation, train stations, ports, airports, public or government buildings, embassies or consulates, international organizations, schools and universities, religious sites, markets, hotels and restaurants frequented by foreigners/Westerners, festivals, etc.). Some governments advise their nationals against all travel to the Sinai Peninsula due to the persistent terrorist threat.