Jeddah — Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman and Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman, deputy premier and minister of defense, sent separate cables of condolence to Egyptian President Abdul Fattah El-Sissi on the killing of 23 Egyptian soldiers in Sinai attack.

The King and the Crown Prince extended condolences to the president and strongly denounced the heinous acts, affirming the Kingdom’s stance against all those who are trying to affect its security and stability.

Responding to the Sinai attack, Egyptian Prime Minister Sherif Ismail stressed the need for countries to unite against those who support terrorism and to “dry up their sources of funding.”

At least 23 Egyptian soldiers were killed when suicide car bombs tore through two military checkpoints in North Sinai on Friday, an attack claimed by Daesh that marks one of the bloodiest assaults on security forces in years.

The two cars blew up at two checkpoints outside a military compound just south of Rafah, on the border with the Gaza Strip, the security sources said.

The security sources said another 26 soldiers were injured in Friday's attacks.

Security sources described Friday’s attack as a coordinated strike, with car bombs blowing apart checkpoints as gunmen in four-wheel drive vehicles shot down soldiers running for cover.

Militants in armored vehicles, meanwhile, fired rocket propelled grenades at a military site just beyond the checkpoint, the sources said.

The military carried out a counter-attack almost immediately after, deploying fighter jets to kill over 40 militants suspected of involvement and destroying six of their vehicles, according to a video released by the military showing aerial footage of air strikes.

“Law enforcement forces in North Sinai succeeded in thwarting a terrorist attack on some checkpoints south of Rafah,” a military statement said.