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More than 230 dead in Egypt mosque attack

By Brooks Hays
Dozens were killed in an attack on a mosque near the city of Arish on Egypt's Sinai Peninsula. Photo by STR/European Pressphoto Agency
Dozens were killed in an attack on a mosque near the city of Arish on Egypt's Sinai Peninsula. Photo by STR/European Pressphoto Agency

Nov. 24 (UPI) -- Dozens have been killed in an attack on a mosque in Egypt's North Sinai province.

On Friday, gunmen launched the bomb and gunfire attack at the al-Rawdah mosque in Bir al-Abed, near the city of el-Arish on Egypt's Sinai Peninsula. The latest state TV reports suggest at least 235 people were killed. At least 120 others were injured.

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The gunmen interrupted a sermon by detonating improvised bombs and firing on the worshippers, according to local media and eyewitness reports.

No local terror organizations have claimed responsibility for the attack, but Egyptian security forces have battled Islamic insurgents in North Sinai for several years. The insurgents are affiliated with the Islamic State.

Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi convened a security committee with military leaders to discuss the attack and possible planned responses.

The president announced a three-day nationwide mourning of the victims of Friday's attack.

While insurgents in the region have executed a variety of planned attacks on security personnel, killing a few hundred police and soldiers during the last three years, attacks on civilians have been rare.

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