Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi has ordered the construction of a mausoleum in memory of the 235 people killed by Islamic militants inside a mosque in northern Sinai.

A presidential statement did not say where the mausoleum would stand or who would be commissioned to build it, but the decision to have one reflects the depth of grief felt by the government over the death of so many people in Friday’s attack, the deadliest by Islamic extremists in Egypt’s modern history. The mosque was frequented by Sufis, followers of a mystic school of Islam.

No one claimed responsibility for the attack, but the extremist ISIS group has repeatedly declared that it views Sufis as heretics and vowed to rid Sinai, and Egypt, of them. Millions of Egyptians practice Sufi rituals, like reciting poetry, dancing and singing as means to be closer to God.



Last Update: Wednesday, 20 May 2020 KSA 09:50 - GMT 06:50