Region
Gunmen in Egypt mosque attack carried Islamic State flag, prosecutor says
Gunmen in Egypt mosque attack carried Islamic State flag, prosecutor says
No group has claimed responsibility, but Egyptian forces are battling a stubborn Islamic State affiliate in the region, one of the surviving branches of the militant group after it suffered defeats by US-backed forces in Iraq and Syria.The assault on a mosque has stunned Egyptians, prompting President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi's government to tighten security at places of worship and key buildings, and call three days of mourning for the bloodiest attack in Egypt's modern history.State news agency MENA said the death toll had risen to 305, including 27 children, and 128 people were injured.
Utmost force
Striking a mosque would be a shift in tactics for the Sinai militants, who have previously attacked troops and police and more recently tried to spread their insurgency to the mainland by hitting Christian churches and pilgrims.Local sources said some of the worshippers were Sufis, whom groups such as Islamic State consider targets because they revere saints and shrines, which for Islamists is tantamount to idolatry. Islamic State has targeted Sufi and Shia Muslims in other countries like Iraq.The jihadists in Egypt's Sinai have also attacked local tribes and their militias for working with the army and police.Egypt's military carried out air strikes and raids overnight to target hideouts and vehicles involved in the attack, the army said, without giving details on the number of militants."What is happening is an attempt to stop us from our efforts in the fight against terrorism," Sisi said on Friday.The Sinai attack came as Sisitarget="_blank"'>