The “Islamic State” (IS)-affiliated group ‘State of Sinai’ claimed Tuesday’s attack on a hotel in North Sinai hosting election judges, leading to the death of at least seven people, according to the group’s circulated statement on social media.
A security source told state-owned Al-Ahram newspaper that the number of deaths has increased to seven, including four police personnel, a conscript, two judges and a civilian. More than 10 were injured.
Judge Omar Hammad and Prosecutor Amr Mostafa were among those killed outside the Swiss Inn Hotel, while two other judges were injured, as announced by the Ministry of Justice.
The militant group claimed that two suicide bombers were responsible for the attack; one was driving an explosive vehicle that targeted the hotel’s security team, while the other stormed the hotel with a machine gun.
According to the military’s statement, security forces opened fire on the suicide bomber driving a car, causing the explosive vehicle to detonate before it reached the hotel and killed the bomber. Two other militants managed to escape during the explosion, one of them detonated an explosive belt in the hotel’s kitchen, while the other opened fire, randomly killing Hammad.
The armed forces confirmed the death of all militants involved in the attack, vowing to pursue the “militant and terrorists” engaged in the planning of the attack.
Local and international condemnations emerged throughout the day, following the attack.
“State of Sinai”, formerly known as Ansar Beit Al-Maqdis, has claimed responsibility for the majority of attacks in Sinai. Among these was the Russian plane crash over Sinai on 31 October, killing all 224 on board.
