President Donald Trump denounced a terrorist attack in Egypt Friday that left more than 200 people dead.
The incident, a bombing and shooting at a mosque in the country’s North Sinai region, took the lives of at least 235 worshipers and injured another 109.
“Horrible and cowardly terrorist attack on innocent and defenseless worshipers in Egypt,” Trump said on Twitter. “The world cannot tolerate terrorism, we must defeat them militarily and discredit the extremist ideology that forms the basis of their existence!”
Horrible and cowardly terrorist attack on innocent and defenseless worshipers in Egypt. The world cannot tolerate terrorism, we must defeat them militarily and discredit the extremist ideology that forms the basis of their existence!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 24, 2017
Trump also stated he planned on calling Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi to discuss the event.
“Will be calling the President of Egypt in a short while to discuss the tragic terrorist attack, with so much loss of life,” Trump said. “We have to get TOUGHER AND SMARTER than ever before, and we will. Need the WALL, need the BAN! God bless the people of Egypt.”
Will be calling the President of Egypt in a short while to discuss the tragic terrorist attack, with so much loss of life. We have to get TOUGHER AND SMARTER than ever before, and we will. Need the WALL, need the BAN! God bless the people of Egypt.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 24, 2017
Following the bombing, the attackers, suspected of being affiliated with a local ISIS affiliate, opened fire from four off-road vehicles on mosque attendees attempting to flee the area.
Described as the deadliest terror attack in Egyptian history, as many as 50 ambulances were dispatched to the scene. One witness claimed that the ambulances also came under fire as they arrived at the mosque.
While a motive has not yet been confirmed, the Al-Rawdah Sufi mosque is home to followers of a mystical Islamic sect frequently targeted by ISIS.
Fattah el-Sisi vowed to respond with “brutal force,” calling on the air force to conduct air strikes against targets in the mosque’s vicinity.
Radical jihadists in Egypt have also targeted other religious groups including Christians, many of whom have now fled the region, and Bedouin Sinai inhabitants.
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