Egypt's deadliest attack: At least 230 killed in Sinai mosque
foto: Egyptians walk past bodies following a gun and bombing attack at the Rawda mosque, roughly 40 kilometres west of the North Sinai capital of El-Arish, on 24 November Photograph: STRINGER/AFP/Getty Images
At least 235 people were killed and another 109 injured in an attack on a mosque in Egypt's North Sinai region on Friday, Egyptian state-run Nile TV reported, making it one of the deadliest attacks ever carried out against civilians in the province.
After at least two explosions, gunmen who were waiting outside the mosque opened fire at worshipers as they fled Friday prayers, state-owned Ahram Online said.
The attack targeted Al Rawdah mosque, situated in the village of Al Rawdah between Bir Al-Abed and the city of Al-Arish.
Egyptian President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi has held emergency talks with security officials to decide how to respond.
Local police said gunmen arrived in four off-road vehicles before opening fire on worshippers, AP reported.
Pictures from the scene show rows of bloodied victims inside the mosque. At least 130 people were wounded, reports say.
The gunmen had set up "ambush" locations and opened fire on ambulances as they were transporting wounded worshipers from al-Rawdah toward al-Arish before the arrival of security services, eyewitnesses reported.
Speaking to state-run Masriya TV station, Egyptian health ministry spokesman Khalid Mujahid described the incident as a "terrorist attack."
Egyptian President Abdel Fatah el-Sisi is meeting with a security committee to discuss repercussions of the attack, Masriya TV reported. The presidency has declared three days of national mourning.
Locals are also quoted as saying that followers of Sufism, or Islamic mysticism, regularly gathered at the mosque.
Some jihadist groups, including so-called Islamic State (IS), see Sufis as heretics.