Al-Azhar Al-Sharif has strongly condemned the criminal shooting that took place yesterday night, inside a church in the US state of Texas, killing at least 26 people and wounding a further 20.

An official statement from Al-Azhar Al-Sharif, said that, "These hateful attacks, that kill and violate the sanctity of houses of worship, lead to the dissemination of sedition, hatred, and threaten the security and stability of countries."

Al-Azhar also called for the need to protect houses of worship from any aggression and respect their sanctity, stressing that terrorism is prohibited by all religions and international laws and norms.

The statement extended the deepest condolences of Al-Azhar to the US government and the families of the victims and wished the injured a speedy recovery.

Source: Khaleej Times