{"id":32710,"date":"2017-11-25T17:28:15","date_gmt":"2017-11-25T11:58:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/apnlive.com\/?p=32710"},"modified":"2017-11-25T17:32:02","modified_gmt":"2017-11-25T12:02:02","slug":"egypt-president-sisi-vows-to-hit-hard-terrorists-for-attacking-worshippers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/apnlive.com\/world-news\/egypt-president-sisi-vows-to-hit-hard-terrorists-for-attacking-worshippers\/","title":{"rendered":"Egypt: President Sisi vows to hit hard terrorists for attacking worshippers"},"content":{"rendered":"

War planes attack terror hideouts <\/em><\/p>\n

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi has condemned the attack on Sufi mosque in Sinai Peninsula describing it as a “criminal” and “cowardly” act, expressed condolences to the victims and vowed that the attack “will not go unpunished”.<\/p>\n

While addressing the nation on a live telecast on Friday evening, President said, “The armed forces and the police will avenge our martyrs and restore security and stability with the utmost force.” The Egyptian government has declared a\u00a0 three-day mourning for the victims.<\/p>\n

The Egyptian military launched air strikes on targets in mountainous areas around Bir al-Abed<\/em> hours after the attack, security sources and witnesses told Reuters news agency.<\/p>\n

Latest reports, quoting military spokesman Tamer Rifai said in Cairo, on Saturday, said that Egyptian warplanes conducted airstrikes on \u201cterrorist outposts\u201d and vehicles after attackers killed 235 people in Bir al-Abed<\/em>, in northern Sinai.<\/p>\n

“The Egyptian Air Force pursued the terrorist elements, discovered and destroyed a number of vehicles that carried out the brutal terrorist killings, and killed all terrorists inside those vehicles,” the spokesman said. $\"Egypt:$ <\/p>\n

Terrorists attacked the worshippers on Friday with a bomb and guns on at Al-Rawdah<\/em> Sufi mosque in Bir al-Abed<\/em>, 40 km west of El Arish<\/em> the provincial capital of north Sinai. Egyptian media reports that 235 people were killed and over a hundred people were injured in the attack.<\/p>\n

The Bir al-Abed mosque was considered to be an easy target as it is situated outside the main cities. The worshippers coming to the mosque follow Hanafi Sunni sect. Saudi groomed Wahabis<\/em> consider them as infidels.<\/p>\n

The mosque was frequented by Hanafi <\/em>Muslims. Large numbers of security personnel attend prayers in this mosque.<\/p>\n

So far no group has claimed responsibility. A local terror group Velayat Sinai, considered as an affiliate of Daesh<\/em> IS has claimed earlier terrorist attacks.<\/p>\n

The terrorists arrived in four when driven vehicles and carried out their attack during the sermon after Friday prayers. The attackers had reportedly planted explosives and then opened fire on worshippers. The fleeing worshippers were also gunned down in large number.<\/p>\n

The region has previously witnessed several attacks targeting security forces and members of Egypt’s Coptic Christians community.<\/p>\n

$\"\"$ <\/a>In 2016 IS terrorists released pictures of executing a 100 year old Sufi religious leader accusing him of “witchcraft”.<\/p>\n

Timothy Kaldas, a professor at Nile University in Cairo, believes that the attack “fits the pattern of ISIS attacks”. He understands, “Potentially, it’s another attack against Sufis in northern Sinai. Potentially, it’s retaliation for tribes co-operating with the state in the crackdown on ISIS.”<\/p>\n

Almost all terrorist groups including Daesh<\/em> (IS) responsible for creating havoc in Syria, Iraq and Libya, Al-Qaeda<\/em> and Taliban<\/em> active in Afghanistan, Al-Shabab<\/em> and Boko Haram<\/em>, indulged in destructive activities in some of the African countries are considered to be followers of the Wahabi<\/em> ideology.<\/p>\n

Last month Saudi Arabia\u2019s Crown Prince Mohammed bin-Salman had vowed to destroy \u201cextremist ideologies\u201d in a bid to return to \u201ca more moderate Islam.\u201d<\/p>\n

He was quoted saying, “Seventy percent of the Saudi population is under the age of 30. In all honesty, we will not spend 30 years of our lives dealing with extremist ideologies. We will destroy them today and immediately.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"