The United States says it’s strongly condemning the attack in Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula that killed at least 23 Egyptian troops.

State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert says that the U.S. continues “to stand with Egypt as it confronts terrorism.”

Nauert says the U.S. sends its condolences to the families of the victims of Friday’s assault and wishes a speedy recovery to the wounded.

Egyptian officials say the assault started when a suicide car bomber rammed his vehicle into a checkpoint at a military compound in the village of el-Barth, southwest of the border town of Rafah. They say that heavy gunfire then followed from dozens of masked militants on foot.

Source: hosted.ap.org