Friday is the holiest day of the week for Muslims of all sects. For that reason, Friday is observed as a holiday in lieu of Sunday in most Muslim countries. This Friday, brought terrible retribution on the people praying at a mosque in Egypt's North Sinai region. The Egyptian state-run TV channel Nile TV has reported that this was the deadliest attack in Egypt and nearly 235 are dead and hundreds injured, some perhaps maimed for life. The death toll is likely to rise further.
A mosque where Sufi followers had congregated for midday prayers located at Al Rawdah was` targetted by a terror group.
It was a meticulously planned attack and after two explosions, the gunmen moved in and mowed down the worshippers. Ambulance's rushing to the scene was also attacked. CNN has reported this news in graphic detail.
Throes of death
Egypt under General Sisi is in the throes of death. Not a day passes without an attack by the extremist Muslim organization There is also news that 16 police officers have been shot dead in an encounter with militants, who are suspected to be affiliated with ISIS. President Trump has condemned the incident, but the mere condemnation will lead nowhere.
Extremism in Egypt
Egypt's problems commenced with the removal of President Morsi, in a military coup led by General SISI.
Morsi was the first and only democratically elected president of Egypt since Gamal Nassar overthrew King Farrukh in 1953. But he was a member of the Muslim Brotherhood, which started a sectarian agenda targetting the minorities and the army intervened.
General Sisi seized power but failed to realize that vast sections of Egypt's population is radicalized.
Many supported the Muslim Brotherhood and these elements joined hands with the ISIS to wage a war against the Egyptian government. Extremism and terror attacks in Egypt is now a fact of life. The army has not been able to snuff out the hardcore militants who have continued their attacks on Christians, Shias and other minorities.
In this case, they attacked a Sufi mosque with is the birthplace of a Sufi saint. Sufi's are a sect of Islam and orthodox Muslims consider them heretics.
Future
Egypt has declared three days of mourning and general Sisi has commenced a meeting with the security committee, as to how to deal with the situation. The task is daunting and the general will have to show more ingenuity, otherwise, the bell tolls for him and the Egyptian state.
