NO Filipino casualties from the deadliest terrorist attack at a mosque in the Northern Sinai—at least 200 people and wounded—have thus far been reported, the Philippine Embassy in Cairo said Saturday.
At the same time, Philippine ambassador Leslie Baja called on all 5,183 registered Filipinos to exercise extra caution and avoid going to the Northern Sinai Region due to high risk of terrorist attacks.
“The Philippine Embassy in Cairo is monitoring the incident and that initial reports indicate that there are no Filipinos among the casualties in the attack,” Baja said.
Foreign Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano, who had condemned the attack, himself suggested the incident in Sinai must reinforce the resolve not only of the various governments but also the major faiths around the world to “work together and fight these forces of terror.”
Cayetano also extended condolences to people whose loved ones were killed.
“We join the people and government of Egypt and the rest of the world in mourning the loss of many innocent lives in the tragedy,” Cayetano said.
“The Philippines strongly condemns this cowardly act perpetrated against our Muslim brothers and sisters in Egypt,” Cayetano said.
The embassy there reported the attack took place at the Al-Rawdah mosque in Bir Al-Abed Province, about 300 kilometers northeast of Cairo.
Baja said the attack involved at least one suicide bomber and several gunmen who targeted Sufi Muslim worshippers attending Friday afternoon prayers.