After several hours of meeting with the National Defence Council, President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi issued a presidential decree declaring a state of emergency in parts of North Sinai governorate for three months starting 5am Saturday, 25 October 2014.

The state of emergency will include a curfew from 5pm to 7am until further notice.

The decree gives the armed forces and police authority to do whatever is necessary to confront terrorism and to protect public and private properties in the area.

The decree also states that whoever violates the presidential decree will be sentenced to jail in accordance to Law 162 of 1958.

The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) will hold a meeting Saturday on developments in Sinai following the attack.

Egyptian authorities have decided to close the Rafah border crossing with Gaza indefinitely starting Saturday.