At least 184 people have been killed in a bomb and gun attack on a mosque in Egypt’s North Sinai, state-run media reports, making it one of the country’s deadliest attacks in modern history. More than 120 others have been injured.
The incident happened during Friday prayers when a bomb was detonated at the mosque in Al-Rawda, a village about 40 kilometers (25 miles) from Arish, the capital of North Sinai. Gunmen then opened fire as worshippers tried to flee the scene.
The official news agency MENA reported that at least 184 people had been killed and 125 others have been injured, many of whom were reported to be in a critical condition. It is feared that the death toll will rise as hundreds of people were attending Friday prayers.
Member of Parliament Mostafa Bakry said the mosque was surrounded by militants who opened fire from vehicles after the bomb went off, trapping many people as they tried to flee the area. The attackers also opened fire on emergency services as they arrived at the scene.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility.
Friday’s attack is believed to be the second-deadliest in Egypt’s modern history. At least 224 people were killed in October 2015 when a suspected bomb caused the crash of Metrojet Flight 9268 in North Sinai. That attack was claimed by the Islamic State (ISIS).
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