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A car bomb suicide attack has left seven people dead, including two judges, in Sinai Northern Egypt, according to MENA. The attack targeted the Swiss Inn hotel in the provincial capital El Arish Wednesday where two judges overseeing a parliamentary election were staying.
A militant attempted to drive a car bomb into the hotel before security forces opened fire, successfully thwarting the attack. This caused the car to explode before it reached the hotel, military sources and witnesses said.
However, two armed men accessed the hotel with one blowing himself up in the hotel’s restaurant while the other attempted to shoot guests in their rooms.
In addition to the two judges killed in the assault, four policemen and a civilian lost their lives, the Interior Ministry said. While the Health Ministry confirmed a futher 17 had been wounded in the attack. The military also confirmed that the three militants responsible had died during the terror raid.
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@OrRavid #BREAKING: first footage from the explosion area in #Arish #Sinai #Egypt pic.twitter.com/Djb3vDgtrq
— Or Ravid אור רביד (@OrRavid)
November 24, 2015
"This brutal incident is a failed attempt to hinder the state from building its institution but we assure all that it will increase the drive and insistence of the armed forces and the Interior Ministry to weed out the roots of terrorism in North Sinai," a military statement read.
People earlier this walk at the square under electoral banners ahead of the second round of parliamentary election in al-Arish. | Photo: Reuters
The attack occurred early on Wednesday morning according to the hotel’s manager and is the region’s latest deadly assault by the Islamic State group.
Last month, 224 people died after Islamic State group militants detonated a bomb on a Metrojet flight bound for St. Petersberg from the resort town Sharm al Sheikh while flying over Sinai.
Russia confirmed that an explosive planted on board the Airbus 321-200 was responsible for Oct. 31 downing of the plane. While Islamic State group militants based in the area posted photos on their webpage purporting to show the bomb used to cause the crash.
NEWS: Russia Confirms Bomb Downed Plane in Egypt, Putin Vows Payback
On June 1, the Sinai province was rocked after Islamic State group affiliates attacked military posts in Sheikh Zuweid and El-Arish. According to the Egyptian military 17 soldiers, including four officers, and more than 100 militants were killed in the assaults.
