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Victims of an attack at a Sufi mosque in Egypt’s North Sinai province being carried away on stretchers. Credit Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

An attack at a Sufi mosque in the northern Sinai Peninsula in Egypt killed at least 235 people on Friday. It was the first time that Islamist militants — who have been attacking security forces and Christian churches for years — have gone after Muslim worshipers.

The carnage and audacity were horrific. According to witnesses, dozens of gunmen in off-road vehicles bombed the mosque, which was packed with worshipers at Friday Prayers. The assailants then opened fire as people tried to flee, and set fire to parked vehicles to block off access to the mosque.

It is unclear who carried out the attack, though groups claiming affiliation with the Islamic State are known to operate in the area.…  Seguir leyendo »

Mourners gathered at the funeral for the victims of a bomb explosion at Mar Girgis Coptic church in Tanta, Egypt on Monday. Credit Mohamed Hossam/European Pressphoto Agency

The Islamic State’s affiliate in Egypt is on the march. On Palm Sunday, a pair of bombs killed 45 people at church. This was the third major attack on Coptic churches in less than four months — and the first such attack recently in major Egyptian cities, which many people believed were more secure. These attacks follow after months of terrorism, and they could have been predicted: Just two months ago, the Sinai-based Islamic State affiliate issued a video promising that the group would target Copts in Egypt’s mainland.

hese attacks demonstrate that President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi’s counterterrorism strategy is failing.…  Seguir leyendo »