A terrorist attack was perpetrated in the small town of Bir al Abed in north Sinai as people was going outside the city’s mosque after the Friday prayers. Four vehicles stopped at the Mosque’s entrance and perpetrators started planting explosives and opened fire, causing at least 235 deaths. This region is known to be the base of the Egyptian branch of ISIL, however the terrorist did not claim to be the author of the attack. In 2014, Egyptian President al Sisi declared the state of emergency in the Sinai Peninsula as a suicide bomber killed 33 soldiers. After the attack, HR/VP Federica Mogherini made a statement in which she expressed “on behalf of the EU, [her] heartfelt condolences to the victims, their families and the Egyptian people,” while President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker condemned the attack and offered the EU’s support to Egyptian authorities and population.