Egypt strikes back after over 200 people killed in attack on mosque

Egyptian forces have hit back after the attack on an al-Rawda mosque in the town of Bir al-Abed.

There was an explosion in the mosque during Fridays prayers.

After the explosion went off, worshippers fled the building, only to be met by waiting gunmen who opening fire on the panicked crowds.

Such an evil and cowardly terrorist attack on worshipers in Egypt. Our condolences & prayers are with the victims & their families. Our strength & resolve will overpower their extremist ideology. We cannot & will not allow terrorists to win.

— Vice President Mike Pence (@VP) November 24, 2017

Witnesses at the scene said that men in four off-road vehicles opened fire on worshipers, according to AP.

Egyptian forces engaged in air strikes on the vehicles which transported the gun men to the mosque.

'The armed forces and the police will avenge our martyrs and restore security and stability with the utmost force,' Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said according to RTE.

'What is happening is an attempt to stop us from our efforts in the fight against terrorism, to destroy our efforts to stop the terrible criminal plan that aims to destroy what is left of our region.'

235 people were killed in the attack with over a hundred injured.