235 Killed in Egypt attack

Gunmen target Sufi mosque in restive North Sinai province 

Gunmen attacked a packed Sufi mosque in Egypt's restive North Sinai province on Friday and set off a bomb, killing at least 235 people in one of the country's deadliest attacks in recent memory, state media reported.

A bomb ripped through the Rawadah mosque, roughly 40km west of the North Sinai capital of El-Arish before gunmen opened fire on the worshipper gathered for the weekly Friday prayers, the official said.

The Islamic State had target followers of the mystical Sufi branch of Sunni Islam as well as Christians.

Witness said the assailants had surrounded the mosque with all-terrain vehicles and then planted a bomb outside. The gunmen then mowed down the panicked worshippers as they attempted to flee and used the congregant's vehicle they had set alight to block routes to the mosque.

State television reported at least 235 people were killed and over 100 wounded in the attack.