Update: Sisi chairs urgent meeting to discuss Arish attack

CAIRO - 24 November 2017: President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi held an urgent meeting at 3 p.m. Friday to discuss the developments of the attack that hit a mosque in Arish, and left 235 deaths and 109 injured.

The meeting of the security committee aimed to identify the security status in Sinai. Sources said that the presidency will issue official statements following the meeting.

Acting Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly is following up on the attack. Madbouly was named Thursday as acting prime minister since Prime Minister Sherif Ismail had jetted off to Germany for a surgery.

The attack took place during the Friday Prayers held at the Al Rawdah Mosque located in west Arish; the mosque was damaged as a result of the bomb.

Eyewitnesses said that the militants set fire in cars that belonged to residents and blocked the road in Al Rawdah Village.

A total of 50 ambulance vehicles, security forces and bomb squad were deployed to the attacked village in Arish following the attack.