At least 305 killed in attack on mosque in North Sinai

Updated. Egyptian media reports say at least 305 people have been killed in a bomb and gun attack on a mosque in the country's northern Sinai Peninsula.

The attack occurred in Bir al-Abed, a town in North Sinai province, shortly after Friday prayers.

Egyptian state media MENA put the death toll at 305, citing an official security source. It also said that 128 people were wounded in the attack.

The mosque in Bir al-Abed, about 40km west of El Arish, the provincial capital of North Sinai, was frequented by Sufis.
The government declared a three-day period of mourning for the victims.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi condemned the attack, which he described as "criminal" and "cowardly" in a televised statement on Friday. He expressed condolences to the victims and their families and said the attack "will not go unpunished"."The armed forces and the police will avenge our martyrs and restore security and stability with the utmost force," Sisi said.

The Egyptian military launched air strikes on targets in mountainous areas around Bir al-Abed hours after the attack, security sources and witnesses told Reuters news agency.
Officials said the attackers arrived in four 4WD vehicles and carried out their attack while the sermon was being delivered after Friday prayers.
Local media reports said the attackers planted explosives and then opened fire on worshippers.
The attackers next targeted fleeing worshipers with gunfire.
The targeted mosque is known as a ''sufi'' mosque, that is of a brand of mystical islam. The sufis are considered heretics by the severe salafists. Apart from that there exist from old  ties between the Egyptian militairy intelligence and te sufi community. Allthough nobody sofar claimed the attach it is widely believed that the Ansar al Maqdisi (Isis in Egypt) were responsible for this unbelievable act.