A bomb-and-gun attack on a mosque in Egypt's Sinai region killed at least 305 people, including 27 children.

"Criminal and cowardly". That is how the Egyptian president described an attack on a Sufi mosque on Friday.

Abdel Fattah el-Sisi vowed to respond with what he called "brutal force".

At least 305 people were killed in what is seen as the worst attack in Egypt's modern history.

It happened in the northern Sinai region. Men, women and children were shot by armed men as they tried to flee al-Rawda mosque in the town of Bir al-Abed.

Since coming to power, Sisi has promised to crack down on armed groups, particularly in the Sinai.

So, why has the Sinai Peninsula become a security nightmare for Sisi's government?

Presenter: Hazem Sika

Guests:

Ahmed Badawi - Senior researcher at the Centre for Middle Eastern and North African Politics at the Free University of Berlin

Timothy Kaldas - Non-resident fellow at Tahrir Institute for Middle East Politics

Afzal Ashraf - Assistant professor at the Centre of Conflict, Security and Terrorism at Nottingham University

Source: Al Jazeera News