At least five people were wounded and several shops and a mosque damaged in a clash between majority Sinhalese Buddhists and minority Muslims in eastern Sri Lanka, police said on Tuesday.

Renewed tension has been growing between the two communities since last year, with some hardline Buddhist groups accusing Muslims of forcing people to convert to Islam and vandalising Buddhist archaeological sites.

Police had been deployed in the eastern town of Ampara to control the unrest after a Sinhalese mob attacked a mosque, four shops and several vehicles late on Monday, spokesman Ruwan Gunasekara said.

Last year, diplomats condemned violence against Muslims and urged the government to uphold minority rights and freedom of religion after more than 20 attacks on Muslims, including arson at Muslim-owned businesses and mosques.

President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremasinghe have promised to protect minorities, but attacks against Muslims have continued.&nbsp;

Muslims comprise around 9 percent of Sri Lanka&#39;s population of 21 million. Buddhists make up about 70 percent and Hindus about 13 percent.&nbsp;

The government ended a full-blown 26-year civil war by defeating mostly Hindu Tamil Tiger rebels in 2009, with claims of atrocities on both sides.

The United Nations criticised Sri Lanka last year for slow progress in addressing war crimes and human rights abuses. The United Nations and rights activists have accused the Sri Lankan military of killing thousands of civilians, mostly Tamils, in the last weeks of the war.

Muslims comprise around 9 percent of Sri Lanka's population of 21 million

At least five people were wounded and several shops and a mosque damaged in a clash between majority Sinhalese Buddhists and minority Muslims in eastern Sri Lanka, police said on Tuesday. Renewed tension has been growing between the two communities since last year, with some hardline Buddhist groups accusing Muslims of forcing people to convert to Islam and vandalising Buddhist archaeological sites. Police had been deployed in the eastern town of Ampara to control the unrest after a Sinhalese mob attacked a mosque, four shops and several vehicles late on Monday, spokesman Ruwan Gunasekara said. Last year, diplomats condemned violence against Muslims and urged the government to uphold minority rights and freedom of religion after more than 20 attacks on Muslims, including arson at Muslim-owned businesses and mosques. President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremasinghe have promised to protect minorities, but attacks against Muslims have continued. Muslims comprise around 9 percent of Sri Lanka's population of 21 million. Buddhists make up about 70 percent and Hindus about 13 percent. The government ended a full-blown 26-year civil war by defeating mostly Hindu Tamil Tiger rebels in 2009, with claims of atrocities on both sides. The United Nations criticised Sri Lanka last year for slow progress in addressing war crimes and human rights abuses. The United Nations and rights activists have accused the Sri Lankan military of killing thousands of civilians, mostly Tamils, in the last weeks of the war.

Sri Lanka shops, mosque damaged in Buddhist-Muslim clash

Two rockets fired from the Syrian region of Afrin struck the Turkish border town of Kilis on Wednesday, wounding 13 people, the local governor said.

The rockets hit two locations in the city centre, including a mosque during prayer times, Governor Mehmet Tekinarslan said. Eight people were wounded, with two in critical condition, at the mosque, and another five injured at the second location.

Turkish media footage showed security forces clearing the areas of civilians following the attacks, as ambulances and emergency teams arrived at the site.

As Turkey&#39;s operation against the Syrian Kurdish YPG militia in Afrin entered its fifth day, several rockets have hit the Turkish border towns of Kilis and Reyhanli.

On Saturday, as Turkey started its operation, rockets fired across the border hit Reyhanli, killing a Syrian national and wounding 46 people, the local governor&#39;s office said. Another five were wounded when rockets hit Kilis, a Reuters witness said.

The rockets hit two locations in the city centre, including a mosque during prayer times, Governor Mehmet Tekinarslan said. Eight people were wounded, with two in critical condition, at the mosque, and another five injured at the second location

Two rockets fired from the Syrian region of Afrin struck the Turkish border town of Kilis on Wednesday, wounding 13 people, the local governor said. The rockets hit two locations in the city centre, including a mosque during prayer times, Governor Mehmet Tekinarslan said. Eight people were wounded, with two in critical condition, at the mosque, and another five injured at the second location. Turkish media footage showed security forces clearing the areas of civilians following the attacks, as ambulances and emergency teams arrived at the site. As Turkey's operation against the Syrian Kurdish YPG militia in Afrin entered its fifth day, several rockets have hit the Turkish border towns of Kilis and Reyhanli. On Saturday, as Turkey started its operation, rockets fired across the border hit Reyhanli, killing a Syrian national and wounding 46 people, the local governor's office said. Another five were wounded when rockets hit Kilis, a Reuters witness said.

Turkish border town hit by rockets, 13 wounded: Governor

The death toll following a double car bomb attack in the Libyan city of Benghazi on Tuesday night has risen to at least 22, a hospital spokeswoman said.

A further 20 people were injured and the number of fatalities could rise, Fadia al-Barghathi, spokeswoman for the city&#39;s al-Jala hospital, told AFP.

An explosives-rigged vehicle blew up in front of a mosque in the central neighbourhood of Al-Sleimani, a security source said.

A second car exploded 30 minutes later in the same area, causing more casualties among security services and civilians.

Libya has been rocked by chaos since a 2011 uprising that toppled and killed dictator Moamer Kadhafi, with two rival authorities and multiple militias vying for control of the oil-rich country.

Military strongman Khalifa Haftar in July announced the &quot;total liberation&quot; of Benghazi, three years after his forces launched a military operation to seize the city from jihadists who had made it a stronghold following the revolution.&nbsp;

But clashes and attacks in the city have continued, including against diplomatic facilities and security forces.

Haftar supports a parliament based in the far east of Libya, while a rival United Nations-backed unity government in the western capital Tripoli has struggled to assert its authority nationwide.

An explosives-rigged vehicle blew up in front of a mosque in the central neighbourhood of Al-Sleimani

The death toll following a double car bomb attack in the Libyan city of Benghazi on Tuesday night has risen to at least 22, a hospital spokeswoman said. A further 20 people were injured and the number of fatalities could rise, Fadia al-Barghathi, spokeswoman for the city's al-Jala hospital, told AFP. An explosives-rigged vehicle blew up in front of a mosque in the central neighbourhood of Al-Sleimani, a security source said. A second car exploded 30 minutes later in the same area, causing more casualties among security services and civilians. Libya has been rocked by chaos since a 2011 uprising that toppled and killed dictator Moamer Kadhafi, with two rival authorities and multiple militias vying for control of the oil-rich country. Military strongman Khalifa Haftar in July announced the "total liberation" of Benghazi, three years after his forces launched a military operation to seize the city from jihadists who had made it a stronghold following the revolution. But clashes and attacks in the city have continued, including against diplomatic facilities and security forces. Haftar supports a parliament based in the far east of Libya, while a rival United Nations-backed unity government in the western capital Tripoli has struggled to assert its authority nationwide.

Twin car bombs kill at least 22 in Libya's Benghazi

Babri Masjid will remain a mosque till eternity and Muslims can never exchange land for the masjid, the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) said here today.

In a statement issued on the concluding day of its 26th plenary, the board said Babri masjid is an essential part of faith in Islam and Muslims can never &quot;abdicate&quot; the Masjid.

&quot;Babri Masjid is an essential part of faith in Islam and Muslims can never abdicate the Masjid nor can they exchange land for Masjid or gift the Masjid land. Babri Masjid is a Masjid and it shall remain a Masjid till eternity. By demolishing Babri Masjid, it never loses its identity as a masjid. And according to Shariah, it always remains a Masjid,&quot; the statement said.

AIMPLB chief Maulana Rabey Hasani Nadvi presided over the three-day meet which was attended by 400 members and special invitees from different spheres of life including ulemas (clergy), intellectuals, social and political personalities.

Also read:<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/aimplb-expells-cleric-for-suggesting-shifting-babri-mosque-32508">&nbsp;&#39;Hardliners&#39; hijacked board, forced me to distance from &#39;official&#39; stance: Nadvi after expulsion</a>

The meet discussed and decided to protect the Islamic Shariah.

The board stressed the struggle for the reconstruction of the Babri Masjid would continue.

&quot;Without any doubt, we make it clear that the struggle for the reconstruction of Babri Masjid continues and the appeal in the Supreme Court is being fought rigorously with all the resources available at the disposal of the board,&quot;?the statement said.

The AIMPLB further said the country&#39;s topmost lawyers are appearing in the apex court in the case on behalf of Muslims.

On the triple talaq issue, the board said a bill moved by the Centre to criminalise the practice is &quot;anti-women&quot; and is against the Shariah and the Constitution.

&quot;The Talaq-e-Biddat bill moved by the central government is anti-women. It will create more difficulties for women. It is against Shariah and it is against the Constitution. The efforts made by the Board will continue to stop this bill in the Rajya Sabha,&quot; the statement said.

The AIMPLB will start a country-wide awareness campaign against the bill and will also coordinate with Opposition parties that are against the bill,?it said.

The AIMPLB also decided that state-wide committees and district-level committees will be formed under the aegis of the central body for the purpose.

The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, 2017, which criminalises instant talaq and provides for up to three years of imprisonment for Muslim men if they indulge in it, has already been passed in the Lok Sabha, but it is yet to get a nod in the Rajya Sabha, where the BJP-led NDA lacks majority.

In the politically sensitive Ram Janambhoomi-Babri Masjid case, the Supreme Court is currently hearing final arguments.

In its ruling on September 30, 2010, the Allahabad High Court ordered a three-way division of the disputed 2.77 acres of the Babri Masjid-Ram Janmabhoomi site, giving a third each to the Nirmohi Akhara, the Sunni Central Wakf Board of Uttar Pradesh, and Ramlalla Virajman, the idol of the child Ram placed there.&nbsp;

'Babri Masjid is an essential part of faith in Islam and Muslims can never abdicate the Masjid nor can they exchange land for Masjid or gift the Masjid land. Babri Masjid is a Masjid and it shall remain a Masjid till eternity,' the AIMPLB said

Babri Masjid will remain a mosque till eternity and Muslims can never exchange land for the masjid, the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) said here today. In a statement issued on the concluding day of its 26th plenary, the board said Babri masjid is an essential part of faith in Islam and Muslims can never "abdicate" the Masjid. "Babri Masjid is an essential part of faith in Islam and Muslims can never abdicate the Masjid nor can they exchange land for Masjid or gift the Masjid land. Babri Masjid is a Masjid and it shall remain a Masjid till eternity. By demolishing Babri Masjid, it never loses its identity as a masjid. And according to Shariah, it always remains a Masjid," the statement said. AIMPLB chief Maulana Rabey Hasani Nadvi presided over the three-day meet which was attended by 400 members and special invitees from different spheres of life including ulemas (clergy), intellectuals, social and political personalities. Also read: 'Hardliners' hijacked board, forced me to distance from 'official' stance: Nadvi after expulsion The meet discussed and decided to protect the Islamic Shariah. The board stressed the struggle for the reconstruction of the Babri Masjid would continue. "Without any doubt, we make it clear that the struggle for the reconstruction of Babri Masjid continues and the appeal in the Supreme Court is being fought rigorously with all the resources available at the disposal of the board,"?the statement said. The AIMPLB further said the country's topmost lawyers are appearing in the apex court in the case on behalf of Muslims. On the triple talaq issue, the board said a bill moved by the Centre to criminalise the practice is "anti-women" and is against the Shariah and the Constitution. "The Talaq-e-Biddat bill moved by the central government is anti-women. It will create more difficulties for women. It is against Shariah and it is against the Constitution. The efforts made by the Board will continue to stop this bill in the Rajya Sabha," the statement said. The AIMPLB will start a country-wide awareness campaign against the bill and will also coordinate with Opposition parties that are against the bill,?it said. The AIMPLB also decided that state-wide committees and district-level committees will be formed under the aegis of the central body for the purpose. The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, 2017, which criminalises instant talaq and provides for up to three years of imprisonment for Muslim men if they indulge in it, has already been passed in the Lok Sabha, but it is yet to get a nod in the Rajya Sabha, where the BJP-led NDA lacks majority. In the politically sensitive Ram Janambhoomi-Babri Masjid case, the Supreme Court is currently hearing final arguments. In its ruling on September 30, 2010, the Allahabad High Court ordered a three-way division of the disputed 2.77 acres of the Babri Masjid-Ram Janmabhoomi site, giving a third each to the Nirmohi Akhara, the Sunni Central Wakf Board of Uttar Pradesh, and Ramlalla Virajman, the idol of the child Ram placed there.

Babri Masjid will remain mosque till eternity: AIMPLB

The demolition of the Babri Masjid proves that the idea of India remains contested, and that the RSS wants to alter the character of the nation in its own image.

Ayodhya was the first successful experiment whereby Muslim votes became electorally irrelevant as a consolidated Hindu vote propelled the BJP to power under Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

Ayodhya is also a reminder of the fact that accountability in politics is a faraway dream.

As of today, there has been no legal conclusion as how the conspiracy to bring down the disputed structure was hatched.

Ayodhya is also the first case where faith got the better of the constitutional imagination of the country. The violence which broke out 25 years ago challenged, irrevocably, the separation of state and religion. Religion has seeped into the political arena and mainstreamed a style of politics under which Muslims can live side-by-side with Hindus but will be politically disempowered.

Twenty-five years down the line, it has become okay to say the minority vote does not matter. This is not to say the Congress did not pamper minorities politically and created a rift at the grassroots level. In fact, Ayodhya should also be seen in the context of the Shah Bano judgement, and the subsequent intervention by Rajiv Gandhi which sent home the message that the mainstream parties discriminated against Hindus.

This was coupled with the Mandal agitation which, in the name of social justice, lifted opportunistic politicians into the chairs of power. It was this tension between Mandal and Kamandal politics that allowed Ayodhya to evolve into a political project. 
&nbsp; 
Ayodhya further changed the character of Hinduism. Ayodhya is an attempt to build the identity of the Indian state around one sampradaya (sect) of Hinduism. Hinduism, unlike other religions, has a plethora of gods. Shakta and Saiva are two of the hundreds of sampradayas which exist in India.

Ayodhya also injected an element of &lsquo;true to faith&rsquo; into Hinduism.

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Ayodhya is a challenge to Indian multiculturalism which is being belittled in the name of secularism and liberalism. Ayodhya is being used as a cure for casteism on which Hinduism rests. The idea is to dissolve internal deficits by creating a crisis of identity and future. Ayodhya was an attempt to redefine the concept of a nation&nbsp;around shared religious belief that would take us beyond the caste-based divisions of Hindu society. 
&nbsp; 
The only worry is that 25 years down the line, Ayodhya is not a contested idea anymore. There is a temple in Ayodhya and no sane person will consider removing it. So, the discussion is not about title, culpability, or where a temple should be built. The debate has boiled down to how and when. Through consensus or judicial process?

I don&rsquo;t call Ayodhya a wound either from the Muslim or the Hindu perspective. It is not an unresolved project. Ayodhya is the beginning of a bigger project which blends a crude majoritarianism and nationalism that is always trying to search for the &quot;other&quot;&nbsp;to validate itself. 
&nbsp; 
The process is helped by the country&#39;s undemocratic liberal elites who fail to take into account how modernity is reshaping Hinduism in the country. They failed to see the crassness and corruption of the so-called social justice calls of the caste-based parties that only ended up perpetuating dynasties.

The liberal elites felt that they would be the solution to illiberal and majoritarian politics. That was not to be. In turn, the Sankritisation of OBCs created Hindu mascots out of them, further squeezing out the liberal elites who failed to understand that India had started to consider them as outsiders and the political project of Hinduism is the real thing. Today, Ayodhya is not about the birthplace of Ram, it is about Hindu vanity.

It is about a sense of power. It is about a sense of assertion. It is not about renunciation, which Ram did at the drop of a&nbsp;hat when asked to leave the throne for Bharat. There is no maryada either. Afterall&nbsp;Ram has been known as the&nbsp;maryadapurushottam Ram. Maryada was crossed when one political class wanted to bring down the mosque and the other wanted to cooperate so that the problem would get resolved. 
&nbsp; 
The nation cannot retrace its steps. That is not possible, although we are coming close to the horrible and morbid politics of Pakistan which differentiates between its own people.

It is a choice which India will have to make. The truth is that the temple will stand in Ayodhya forever, but the challenge is what we make of it.

Can we come together and pray that similar violence in the name of God never takes place. It will require sanity from both sides. It will require forgiveness from both sides.

(Disclaimer: The author writes here in a personal capacity).

Ayodhya is the beginning of a bigger project which blends a crude majoritarianism and nationalism that is always trying to search for the 'other'?to validate itself

The demolition of the Babri Masjid proves that the idea of India remains contested, and that the RSS wants to alter the character of the nation in its own image. Ayodhya was the first successful experiment whereby Muslim votes became electorally irrelevant as a consolidated Hindu vote propelled the BJP to power under Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Ayodhya is also a reminder of the fact that accountability in politics is a faraway dream. As of today, there has been no legal conclusion as how the conspiracy to bring down the disputed structure was hatched. Ayodhya is also the first case where faith got the better of the constitutional imagination of the country. The violence which broke out 25 years ago challenged, irrevocably, the separation of state and religion. Religion has seeped into the political arena and mainstreamed a style of politics under which Muslims can live side-by-side with Hindus but will be politically disempowered. Twenty-five years down the line, it has become okay to say the minority vote does not matter. This is not to say the Congress did not pamper minorities politically and created a rift at the grassroots level. In fact, Ayodhya should also be seen in the context of the Shah Bano judgement, and the subsequent intervention by Rajiv Gandhi which sent home the message that the mainstream parties discriminated against Hindus. This was coupled with the Mandal agitation which, in the name of social justice, lifted opportunistic politicians into the chairs of power. It was this tension between Mandal and Kamandal politics that allowed Ayodhya to evolve into a political project. Ayodhya further changed the character of Hinduism. Ayodhya is an attempt to build the identity of the Indian state around one sampradaya (sect) of Hinduism. Hinduism, unlike other religions, has a plethora of gods. Shakta and Saiva are two of the hundreds of sampradayas which exist in India. Ayodhya also injected an element of ‘true to faith’ into Hinduism. Ayodhya was an attempt to redefine the concept of a national around shared religious belief that would take us beyond caste-based divisions of the Hindu society. × Ayodhya is a challenge to Indian multiculturalism which is being belittled in the name of secularism and liberalism. Ayodhya is being used as a cure for casteism on which Hinduism rests. The idea is to dissolve internal deficits by creating a crisis of identity and future. Ayodhya was an attempt to redefine the concept of a nation around shared religious belief that would take us beyond the caste-based divisions of Hindu society. The only worry is that 25 years down the line, Ayodhya is not a contested idea anymore. There is a temple in Ayodhya and no sane person will consider removing it. So, the discussion is not about title, culpability, or where a temple should be built. The debate has boiled down to how and when. Through consensus or judicial process? I don’t call Ayodhya a wound either from the Muslim or the Hindu perspective. It is not an unresolved project. Ayodhya is the beginning of a bigger project which blends a crude majoritarianism and nationalism that is always trying to search for the "other" to validate itself. The process is helped by the country's undemocratic liberal elites who fail to take into account how modernity is reshaping Hinduism in the country. They failed to see the crassness and corruption of the so-called social justice calls of the caste-based parties that only ended up perpetuating dynasties. The liberal elites felt that they would be the solution to illiberal and majoritarian politics. That was not to be. In turn, the Sankritisation of OBCs created Hindu mascots out of them, further squeezing out the liberal elites who failed to understand that India had started to consider them as outsiders and the political project of Hinduism is the real thing. Today, Ayodhya is not about the birthplace of Ram, it is about Hindu vanity. It is about a sense of power. It is about a sense of assertion. It is not about renunciation, which Ram did at the drop of a hat when asked to leave the throne for Bharat. There is no maryada either. Afterall Ram has been known as the maryadapurushottam Ram. Maryada was crossed when one political class wanted to bring down the mosque and the other wanted to cooperate so that the problem would get resolved. The nation cannot retrace its steps. That is not possible, although we are coming close to the horrible and morbid politics of Pakistan which differentiates between its own people. It is a choice which India will have to make. The truth is that the temple will stand in Ayodhya forever, but the challenge is what we make of it. Can we come together and pray that similar violence in the name of God never takes place. It will require sanity from both sides. It will require forgiveness from both sides. (Disclaimer: The author writes here in a personal capacity).

Opinion: Demolition of Babri Masjid proves idea of India remains contested

Egypt&#39;s President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on Wednesday ordered his military command to use all force necessary to secure the Sinai peninsula within the next three months following <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/egypt-mourns-305-victims-of-sinai-mosque-attack-25126">a militant attack on a mosque that killed more than 300 people.</a>

&quot;It is your responsibility to secure and stabilise Sinai within the next three months,&quot; Sisi said addressing his new chief of staff in a speech, without giving details on any operations.

&quot;You can use all brute force necessary.&quot;

No group has claimed responsibility for Friday&#39;s mosque attack, but&nbsp;Egyptian forces have been battling a stubborn Islamic State affiliate in the North Sinai for more than three years and militants have killed hundreds of police and soldiers.

Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on Wednesday ordered his military command to use all force necessary to secure the Sinai peninsula within the next three months following a militant attack on a mosque that killed more than 300 people

Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on Wednesday ordered his military command to use all force necessary to secure the Sinai peninsula within the next three months following a militant attack on a mosque that killed more than 300 people. "It is your responsibility to secure and stabilise Sinai within the next three months," Sisi said addressing his new chief of staff in a speech, without giving details on any operations. "You can use all brute force necessary." No group has claimed responsibility for Friday's mosque attack, but Egyptian forces have been battling a stubborn Islamic State affiliate in the North Sinai for more than three years and militants have killed hundreds of police and soldiers.

Secure Sinai in the next three months: President Sisi to Egyptian military

Turkey on Monday began a day of mourning for 305 people killed in the Sinai mosque massacre despite strained ties with Egypt.

The Turkish prime minister&#39;s office also condemned the &quot;heinous terror attack&quot; at the North Sinai Rawda mosque which no group has yet claimed.

Flags are being flown at half-mast in government buildings inside and outside Turkey until sunset.

Ties between Turkey and Egypt have been tense since the Egyptian military ousted Islamist president Mohamed Morsi in 2013, a close ally of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.&nbsp;

Erdogan denounced the move and called Morsi&#39;s ouster a &quot;coup&quot;.

Morsi&#39;s Muslim Brotherhood is outlawed in Egypt but members of the group have sought refuge in Turkey.

Last week, Egypt&#39;s public prosecutor ordered 29 people to be detained for 15 days pending a probe into claims they spied for Turkey and joined a &quot;terrorist&quot; group.

Turkish officials were quick to offer condolences and support following the assault, including Erdogan who put the blame on Islamic State for the &quot;treacherous attack&quot;.

&quot;Daesh (Islamic State) terror is inhuman, it has once again shown its un-Islamic face. Turkey stands with its Egyptian brothers and sisters,&quot; Erdogan said on Saturday.

It is not known why the mosque was targeted but it is assumed in Egypt that it happened because Sufi Muslims worshipped at the mosque.

Up to 30 militants in camouflage flying the black banner of the Islamic State extremist group surrounded the mosque and killed worshippers during weekly Friday prayers, Egyptian authorities said.

Flags are being flown at half-mast in government buildings inside and outside Turkey until sunset

Turkey on Monday began a day of mourning for 305 people killed in the Sinai mosque massacre despite strained ties with Egypt. The Turkish prime minister's office also condemned the "heinous terror attack" at the North Sinai Rawda mosque which no group has yet claimed. Flags are being flown at half-mast in government buildings inside and outside Turkey until sunset. Ties between Turkey and Egypt have been tense since the Egyptian military ousted Islamist president Mohamed Morsi in 2013, a close ally of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Erdogan denounced the move and called Morsi's ouster a "coup". Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood is outlawed in Egypt but members of the group have sought refuge in Turkey. Last week, Egypt's public prosecutor ordered 29 people to be detained for 15 days pending a probe into claims they spied for Turkey and joined a "terrorist" group. Turkish officials were quick to offer condolences and support following the assault, including Erdogan who put the blame on Islamic State for the "treacherous attack". "Daesh (Islamic State) terror is inhuman, it has once again shown its un-Islamic face. Turkey stands with its Egyptian brothers and sisters," Erdogan said on Saturday. It is not known why the mosque was targeted but it is assumed in Egypt that it happened because Sufi Muslims worshipped at the mosque. Up to 30 militants in camouflage flying the black banner of the Islamic State extremist group surrounded the mosque and killed worshippers during weekly Friday prayers, Egyptian authorities said.

Turkey mourns Egypt mosque attack victims

Egypt mourned on Saturday as the death toll from a gun and bomb assault at a mosque rose to 305, including children, in the deadliest attack the country has witnessed.

The state prosecution said up to 30 militants in camouflage flying the Islamic State (IS) group&#39;s black banner had surrounded the mosque in North Sinai and proceeded to massacre the worshippers during weekly Friday prayers.

Twenty-seven children were among the dead, it said.

IS, which is conducting a deadly insurgency in the Sinai, has not claimed responsibility for the attack, but it is the main suspect as the mosque is associated with followers of the mystical Sufi branch of Sunni Islam whom it has branded heretics.

Also Read:<a href="http://www.wionews.com/preview/article/25114">&nbsp;Egypt mosque attack death toll rises to 305, including 27 children: prosecution</a>

Funerals for the victims were held overnight and many were buried unwashed in their bloodied clothes, according to the Islamic burial practices for martyrs, security and medical officials said.

President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi declared three days of mourning and vowed to &quot;respond with brutal force&quot; to the attack, among the deadliest in the world since the September 11, 2001, attacks on the United States.

&quot;The army and police will avenge our martyrs and return security and stability with force in the coming short period,&quot; he said in a televised speech.

Hours later Egyptian air force jets pursued the &quot;terrorists and discovered several vehicles used in the terrorist attack, killing those inside near the vicinity of the attack,&quot; an army spokesman said in a statement.

The state prosecutor&#39;s office said in a statement that 305 people were killed and 128 wounded in the assault on the mosque roughly 40 kilometers (25 miles) west of the North Sinai capital of El-Arish.

It said the attackers, with long beards and hair often seen on jihadists, had arrived in five all-terrain vehicles to surround the mosque.

Witnesses said they heard gunshots and explosions before the assailants entered the mosque, according to the prosecution.

One of the wounded, Magdy Rizk, told AFP assailants wore masks and military uniforms, and that extremists had previously threatened people in the area.

Relatives visited victims in a hospital in the city of Ismailia near the Suez Canal where the wounded were taken for treatment, an AFP photographer reported.

World leaders voiced outrage. US President Donald Trump denounced on Twitter the &quot;horrible and cowardly terrorist attack on innocent and defenseless worshippers&quot;.

Sheikh Ahmed el-Tayeb, the grand imam of Cairo&#39;s Al-Azhar, Egypt&#39;s highest institution of Sunni Islam, condemned &quot;in the strongest terms this barbaric terrorist attack&quot;.

-IS targeting of Sufis&nbsp;

The Egypt branch of IS has killed hundreds of policemen and soldiers, and also civilians accused of working with the authorities, in attacks in the north of the Sinai peninsula.

They have also targeted Sufis as well as Christians.

A tribal leader and head of a Bedouin militia that fights IS told AFP that the mosque is known as a place where Sufis gather.

IS views Sufis as heretics for seeking the intercession of saints.

The group has also killed more than 100 Christians in church bombings and shootings in Sinai and other parts of Egypt, forcing many to flee the peninsula.

The military has struggled to quell the jihadists who pledged allegiance to IS in November 2014.

The jihadists have since increasingly turned to civilian targets, attacking not only Christians and Sufis but also Bedouin Sinai inhabitants accused of working with the army.

The group also claimed the bombing of a Russian plane that killed all 224 people on board after takeoff from the Egyptian Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh on October 31, 2015.

Aside from IS, Egypt also faces a threat from Al-Qaeda-aligned jihadists who operate out of neighboring Libya.

A group calling itself Ansar al-Islam -- Supporters of Islam in Arabic -- claimed an October ambush in Egypt&#39;s the Western Desert that killed at least 16 policemen.

The military later conducted air strikes on the attackers, killing their leader.

The state prosecution said up to 30 militants in camouflage flying the Islamic State (IS) group's black banner had surrounded the mosque in North Sinai and proceeded to massacre the worshippers during weekly Friday prayers

Egypt mourned on Saturday as the death toll from a gun and bomb assault at a mosque rose to 305, including children, in the deadliest attack the country has witnessed. The state prosecution said up to 30 militants in camouflage flying the Islamic State (IS) group's black banner had surrounded the mosque in North Sinai and proceeded to massacre the worshippers during weekly Friday prayers. Twenty-seven children were among the dead, it said. IS, which is conducting a deadly insurgency in the Sinai, has not claimed responsibility for the attack, but it is the main suspect as the mosque is associated with followers of the mystical Sufi branch of Sunni Islam whom it has branded heretics. Also Read: Egypt mosque attack death toll rises to 305, including 27 children: prosecution Funerals for the victims were held overnight and many were buried unwashed in their bloodied clothes, according to the Islamic burial practices for martyrs, security and medical officials said. President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi declared three days of mourning and vowed to "respond with brutal force" to the attack, among the deadliest in the world since the September 11, 2001, attacks on the United States. "The army and police will avenge our martyrs and return security and stability with force in the coming short period," he said in a televised speech. Hours later Egyptian air force jets pursued the "terrorists and discovered several vehicles used in the terrorist attack, killing those inside near the vicinity of the attack," an army spokesman said in a statement. The state prosecutor's office said in a statement that 305 people were killed and 128 wounded in the assault on the mosque roughly 40 kilometers (25 miles) west of the North Sinai capital of El-Arish. It said the attackers, with long beards and hair often seen on jihadists, had arrived in five all-terrain vehicles to surround the mosque. Witnesses said they heard gunshots and explosions before the assailants entered the mosque, according to the prosecution. One of the wounded, Magdy Rizk, told AFP assailants wore masks and military uniforms, and that extremists had previously threatened people in the area. Relatives visited victims in a hospital in the city of Ismailia near the Suez Canal where the wounded were taken for treatment, an AFP photographer reported. World leaders voiced outrage. US President Donald Trump denounced on Twitter the "horrible and cowardly terrorist attack on innocent and defenseless worshippers". Sheikh Ahmed el-Tayeb, the grand imam of Cairo's Al-Azhar, Egypt's highest institution of Sunni Islam, condemned "in the strongest terms this barbaric terrorist attack". -IS targeting of Sufis The Egypt branch of IS has killed hundreds of policemen and soldiers, and also civilians accused of working with the authorities, in attacks in the north of the Sinai peninsula. They have also targeted Sufis as well as Christians. A tribal leader and head of a Bedouin militia that fights IS told AFP that the mosque is known as a place where Sufis gather. IS views Sufis as heretics for seeking the intercession of saints. The group has also killed more than 100 Christians in church bombings and shootings in Sinai and other parts of Egypt, forcing many to flee the peninsula. The military has struggled to quell the jihadists who pledged allegiance to IS in November 2014. The jihadists have since increasingly turned to civilian targets, attacking not only Christians and Sufis but also Bedouin Sinai inhabitants accused of working with the army. The group also claimed the bombing of a Russian plane that killed all 224 people on board after takeoff from the Egyptian Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh on October 31, 2015. Aside from IS, Egypt also faces a threat from Al-Qaeda-aligned jihadists who operate out of neighboring Libya. A group calling itself Ansar al-Islam -- Supporters of Islam in Arabic -- claimed an October ambush in Egypt's the Western Desert that killed at least 16 policemen. The military later conducted air strikes on the attackers, killing their leader.

Egypt mourns 305 victims of Sinai mosque attack

Gunmen who attacked a mosque on Friday in Egypt&#39;s North Sinai brandished an Islamic State flag as they opened fire through doorways and windows, killing more than 300 worshippers, including two dozen children, officials said on Saturday.

No group has claimed responsibility, but Egyptian forces are battling a stubborn Islamic State affiliate in the region, one of the surviving branches of the militant group after it suffered defeats by US-backed forces in Iraq and Syria.

The assault on a mosque has stunned Egyptians, prompting President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi&#39;s government to tighten security at places of worship and key buildings, and call three days of mourning for the bloodiest attack in Egypt&#39;s modern history.&nbsp;

State news agency MENA said the death toll had risen to 305, including 27 children, and 128 people were injured.

Egypt`s public prosecutor&#39;s office, citing interviews with wounded survivors as part of its investigation, linked Islamic State militants, also known as Daesh, to the attack on the Al Rawdah mosque in Bir al-Abed, west of El-Arish city.

&quot;The worshippers were taken by surprise by these elements,&quot; the prosecutor said in a statement. &quot;They numbered between 25 and 30, carrying the Daesh flag and took up positions in front of the mosque door and its 12 windows with automatic rifles.&quot;

Also read: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/egypt-mourns-305-victims-of-sinai-mosque-attack-25126">Egypt mourns 305 victims of Sinai mosque attack</a>

The gunmen, some wearing masks and military-style uniforms, had arrived in jeeps, surrounded the mosque and opened fire inside, sending panicked worshippers scrambling over each other to escape the carnage.

Witnesses had said gunmen set off a bomb at the end of Friday prayers and then opened fire as people tried to flee, shooting at ambulances and setting fire to cars to block roads. Images on state media showed bloodied victims and bodies covered in blankets inside the mosque.

&quot;When the shooting began everyone was running, and everyone was bumping into one another,&quot; Magdy Rezk, a wounded survivor, said from his hospital bed. &quot;But I was able to make out masked men wearing military clothing.&quot;

Utmost Force

Striking a mosque would be a shift in tactics for the Sinai militants, who have previously attacked troops and police and more recently tried to spread their insurgency to the mainland by hitting Christian churches and pilgrims.

Local sources said some of the worshippers were Sufis, whom groups such as Islamic State consider targets because they revere saints and shrines, which for Islamists is tantamount to idolatry. Islamic State has targeted Sufi and Shi`ite Muslims in other countries like Iraq.

The jihadists in Egypt&#39;s Sinai have also attacked local tribes and their militias for working with the army and police.

Sisi, a former armed forces commander who supporters see as a bulwark against Islamist militants, promised the &quot;utmost force&quot; against those responsible for Friday`s attack. Security has been a key reason for his supporters to back him, and he is expected to run for re-election next year.

Egypt&#39;s military carried out air strikes and raids overnight to target hideouts and vehicles involved in the attack, the army said, without giving details on the number of militants.

&quot;What is happening is an attempt to stop us from our efforts in the fight against terrorism,&quot; Sisi said on Friday.

The Sinai attack came as Sisi&#39;s government looks to draw more foreign investment and finish an IMF reform programme to help revive an economy that struggled through instability after the 2011 uprising ousted long-standing leader Hosni Mubarak.

North Sinai, a mostly desert area stretching from the Suez Canal eastwards to the Gaza Strip and Israel, has long been a security headache for Egypt and is a strategic region for Cairo because of its sensitive borders.

Local militant group Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis, once allied to al Qaeda, split from it and declared allegiance to Islamic State in 2014. But attacks in the Sinai worsened after 2013 when Sisi led the overthrow of President Mohamed Mursi of the Muslim Brotherhood after mass protests against his rule.&nbsp;

Gunmen who attacked a mosque on Friday in Egypt's North Sinai brandished an Islamic State flag as they opened fire through doorways and windows, killing more than 300 worshippers, including two dozen children, officials said on Saturday

Gunmen who attacked a mosque on Friday in Egypt's North Sinai brandished an Islamic State flag as they opened fire through doorways and windows, killing more than 300 worshippers, including two dozen children, officials said on Saturday. No group has claimed responsibility, but Egyptian forces are battling a stubborn Islamic State affiliate in the region, one of the surviving branches of the militant group after it suffered defeats by US-backed forces in Iraq and Syria. The assault on a mosque has stunned Egyptians, prompting President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi's government to tighten security at places of worship and key buildings, and call three days of mourning for the bloodiest attack in Egypt's modern history. State news agency MENA said the death toll had risen to 305, including 27 children, and 128 people were injured. Egypt`s public prosecutor's office, citing interviews with wounded survivors as part of its investigation, linked Islamic State militants, also known as Daesh, to the attack on the Al Rawdah mosque in Bir al-Abed, west of El-Arish city. "The worshippers were taken by surprise by these elements," the prosecutor said in a statement. "They numbered between 25 and 30, carrying the Daesh flag and took up positions in front of the mosque door and its 12 windows with automatic rifles." Also read: Egypt mourns 305 victims of Sinai mosque attack The gunmen, some wearing masks and military-style uniforms, had arrived in jeeps, surrounded the mosque and opened fire inside, sending panicked worshippers scrambling over each other to escape the carnage. Witnesses had said gunmen set off a bomb at the end of Friday prayers and then opened fire as people tried to flee, shooting at ambulances and setting fire to cars to block roads. Images on state media showed bloodied victims and bodies covered in blankets inside the mosque. "When the shooting began everyone was running, and everyone was bumping into one another," Magdy Rezk, a wounded survivor, said from his hospital bed. "But I was able to make out masked men wearing military clothing." Utmost Force Striking a mosque would be a shift in tactics for the Sinai militants, who have previously attacked troops and police and more recently tried to spread their insurgency to the mainland by hitting Christian churches and pilgrims. Local sources said some of the worshippers were Sufis, whom groups such as Islamic State consider targets because they revere saints and shrines, which for Islamists is tantamount to idolatry. Islamic State has targeted Sufi and Shi`ite Muslims in other countries like Iraq. The jihadists in Egypt's Sinai have also attacked local tribes and their militias for working with the army and police. Sisi, a former armed forces commander who supporters see as a bulwark against Islamist militants, promised the "utmost force" against those responsible for Friday`s attack. Security has been a key reason for his supporters to back him, and he is expected to run for re-election next year. Egypt's military carried out air strikes and raids overnight to target hideouts and vehicles involved in the attack, the army said, without giving details on the number of militants. "What is happening is an attempt to stop us from our efforts in the fight against terrorism," Sisi said on Friday. The Sinai attack came as Sisi's government looks to draw more foreign investment and finish an IMF reform programme to help revive an economy that struggled through instability after the 2011 uprising ousted long-standing leader Hosni Mubarak. North Sinai, a mostly desert area stretching from the Suez Canal eastwards to the Gaza Strip and Israel, has long been a security headache for Egypt and is a strategic region for Cairo because of its sensitive borders. Local militant group Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis, once allied to al Qaeda, split from it and declared allegiance to Islamic State in 2014. But attacks in the Sinai worsened after 2013 when Sisi led the overthrow of President Mohamed Mursi of the Muslim Brotherhood after mass protests against his rule.

Egypt mosque attack: Gunmen carried Islamic State flag

In the tragic Grenfell tower fire, many lives were saved because of Muslim residents who were awake for Sehri (pre-dawn meal) during the holy month of Ramzaan.&nbsp;

Muslim residents observing Ramzaan were the first ones to notice the smoke coming out of the seventh floor of the Grenfell tower,&nbsp;media reports said. &nbsp;

Waiting to have their pre-dawn meal, Sehri, the residents came out in a frenzy and began knocking on their neighbours&#39; doors to alert them of the imminent danger.

No fire alarms or water sprinklers had gone off till then, an eyewitness said.&nbsp;

A number of local mosques, churches and Sikh temples&nbsp;opened their doors to help those who were evacuated.&nbsp;

Seventeen people have died in the fire so far. The death toll in the incident is likely to rise further.

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Fasting Muslims waiting for pre-dawn meal were the first to notice Grenfell fire; went out to save neighbours' lives

In the tragic Grenfell tower fire, many lives were saved because of Muslim residents who were awake for Sehri (pre-dawn meal) during the holy month of Ramzaan. Muslim residents observing Ramzaan were the first ones to notice the smoke coming out of the seventh floor of the Grenfell tower, media reports said. Waiting to have their pre-dawn meal, Sehri, the residents came out in a frenzy and began knocking on their neighbours' doors to alert them of the imminent danger. No fire alarms or water sprinklers had gone off till then, an eyewitness said. A number of local mosques, churches and Sikh temples opened their doors to help those who were evacuated. Seventeen people have died in the fire so far. The death toll in the incident is likely to rise further.

London tower fire: Muslims fasting for Ramzaan helped save lives

A New York man was charged on Monday with second-degree murder in the deaths of a New York Muslim imam and his assistant, who were gunned down at the weekend, a police spokesman said. 
 
The charges against Oscar Morel, 35, of Brooklyn, came just hours after hundreds of mourners gathered for the outdoor funeral of the two men. The killings in the borough of Queens had shocked the neighborhood`s Bangladeshi community. 
 
Morel was charged with two counts of second-degree murder in the deaths of Imam Maulama Akonjee, 55, and Thara Uddin, 64, the police spokesman said. 
 
He also was charged with two counts of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon. The spokesman did not disclose any possible motive for the shooting. 
 
Morel had been questioned by police following his arrest on charges related to a hit-and-run traffic accident on Saturday, the day of the shootings. 
 
Akonjee and Uddin were shot in the head at close range after Saturday prayers at the Al-Furqan Jame Mosque in Queens` Ozone Park section. 
 
Police told a briefing before the charges were announced that a suspect being questioned was an Hispanic man from Brooklyn. 
 
Police said there was still no known connection between the man being questioned and the murder victims.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;We believe because of the evidence we have acquired thus far that ... this is the individual,&quot; New York City Chief of Detectives Robert Boyce said when asked if he could reassure the rattled community. 
 
Speaker after speaker at the funeral had implored authorities to investigate the murders as hate crimes and to step up efforts to protect mosques and parts of the city like Ozone Park where many Muslims live and work.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;We want justice,&quot; Badrul Kahn, founder of the Al-Furqan mosque, shouted to the crowd in the service`s opening speech. 
 
&quot;We want justice,&quot; responded the mourners, most of them men dressed in Islamic garb. 
 
Mayor Bill de Blasio, addressing the funeral, promised the city would bolster the police presence in the neighborhood even though the motive behind the killings was still unclear. 
 
Police had said earlier that there was no evidence the men were targeted because of their faith but nothing was being ruled out. 
 
Residents of Ozone Park were shaken by the brazen daylight killings and said such a crime was rare in the normally quiet neighborhood. 
 
(Reuters)

The suspect is of Hispanic origin from Brooklyn, though police are yet to ascertain the reason for the attack

A New York man was charged on Monday with second-degree murder in the deaths of a New York Muslim imam and his assistant, who were gunned down at the weekend, a police spokesman said. The charges against Oscar Morel, 35, of Brooklyn, came just hours after hundreds of mourners gathered for the outdoor funeral of the two men. The killings in the borough of Queens had shocked the neighborhood`s Bangladeshi community. Morel was charged with two counts of second-degree murder in the deaths of Imam Maulama Akonjee, 55, and Thara Uddin, 64, the police spokesman said. He also was charged with two counts of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon. The spokesman did not disclose any possible motive for the shooting. Morel had been questioned by police following his arrest on charges related to a hit-and-run traffic accident on Saturday, the day of the shootings. Akonjee and Uddin were shot in the head at close range after Saturday prayers at the Al-Furqan Jame Mosque in Queens` Ozone Park section. Police told a briefing before the charges were announced that a suspect being questioned was an Hispanic man from Brooklyn. Police said there was still no known connection between the man being questioned and the murder victims. "We believe because of the evidence we have acquired thus far that ... this is the individual," New York City Chief of Detectives Robert Boyce said when asked if he could reassure the rattled community. Speaker after speaker at the funeral had implored authorities to investigate the murders as hate crimes and to step up efforts to protect mosques and parts of the city like Ozone Park where many Muslims live and work. "We want justice," Badrul Kahn, founder of the Al-Furqan mosque, shouted to the crowd in the service`s opening speech. "We want justice," responded the mourners, most of them men dressed in Islamic garb. Mayor Bill de Blasio, addressing the funeral, promised the city would bolster the police presence in the neighborhood even though the motive behind the killings was still unclear. Police had said earlier that there was no evidence the men were targeted because of their faith but nothing was being ruled out. Residents of Ozone Park were shaken by the brazen daylight killings and said such a crime was rare in the normally quiet neighborhood. (Reuters)

Man charged with murder of New York imam, friend

Bangladesh&nbsp;on Friday&nbsp;moved to regulate weekly sermons in hundreds of thousands of mosques as part of a stepped-up campaign to combat Islamist extremism, officials said. 
 
The move comes after the deadly attack in an upscale Dhaka cafe in which 20 hostages were brutally shot and hacked to death in the nation&#39;s worst attack by suspected Islamist militants. 
 
Since then, authorities have shut down a television channel run by a controversial Indian preacher, and decided to monitor the social media and&nbsp;Friday&nbsp;sermons of local mosques in a bid to prevent radicalisation. 
 
As part of the drive, the state-run Islamic Foundation, which works as a watchdog for mosques and religious establishments, has prepared a sermon for the main national mosque which it has asked other mosques to follow. 
 
The sermon, which was published by the agency ahead of&nbsp;Friday&#39;s&nbsp;prayers, invokes Koranic verses and traditions of the prophet Mohammed to rail against murderous extremism. 
 
&quot;Whoever kills a person unjustly, it is as though he has killed all mankind,&quot; it said, citing a verse of the Koran. 
 
It also quoted the prophet as saying the killing of a human being is the biggest sin and urged parents to take good care of their children so they cannot be &quot;brainwashed&quot;. 
 
It was not clear how many of Bangladesh&#39;s mosques, which are run by independent neighbourhood lay committees, would follow the instructions. 
 
But a senior police official said local administrations, police and regional Islamic Foundation officials would &quot;monitor&quot; the sermons. 
 
Foundation chief Shamim Mohammad Afzal told AFP that the sermon had been distributed to more than 300,000 mosques. 
 
&quot;It is not mandatory but we hope the imams will follow our sermon or take their inspiration from it,&quot; he said. 
 
&quot;Our core message is there is no place for terrorism in Islam. We want to make sure our children cannot be brainwashed to commit an act of terrorism.&quot; 
 
Islamic parties, who have strongly denounced the cafe siege and a string of other recent attacks on minorities, have criticised the sermon regulation as &quot;undesirable&quot;. 
 
&quot;Long before the Foundation issued its instructions, our clerics have been vocal against terrorism,&quot; said Mufti Faiz Ullah, secretary general of Islamic Oikya Jote, a faith-based party. 
 
Last month, just ahead of the cafe attack, a pro-government council of clerics issued a fatwa against violent Jihad, which was endorsed by more than 100,000 imams. 
 
(AFP)

A state-run foundation has prepared a sermon for the main national mosque that invokes Koranic verses to rail against murderous extremism

Bangladesh on Friday moved to regulate weekly sermons in hundreds of thousands of mosques as part of a stepped-up campaign to combat Islamist extremism, officials said. The move comes after the deadly attack in an upscale Dhaka cafe in which 20 hostages were brutally shot and hacked to death in the nation's worst attack by suspected Islamist militants. Since then, authorities have shut down a television channel run by a controversial Indian preacher, and decided to monitor the social media and Friday sermons of local mosques in a bid to prevent radicalisation. As part of the drive, the state-run Islamic Foundation, which works as a watchdog for mosques and religious establishments, has prepared a sermon for the main national mosque which it has asked other mosques to follow. The sermon, which was published by the agency ahead of Friday's prayers, invokes Koranic verses and traditions of the prophet Mohammed to rail against murderous extremism. "Whoever kills a person unjustly, it is as though he has killed all mankind," it said, citing a verse of the Koran. It also quoted the prophet as saying the killing of a human being is the biggest sin and urged parents to take good care of their children so they cannot be "brainwashed". It was not clear how many of Bangladesh's mosques, which are run by independent neighbourhood lay committees, would follow the instructions. But a senior police official said local administrations, police and regional Islamic Foundation officials would "monitor" the sermons. Foundation chief Shamim Mohammad Afzal told AFP that the sermon had been distributed to more than 300,000 mosques. "It is not mandatory but we hope the imams will follow our sermon or take their inspiration from it," he said. "Our core message is there is no place for terrorism in Islam. We want to make sure our children cannot be brainwashed to commit an act of terrorism." Islamic parties, who have strongly denounced the cafe siege and a string of other recent attacks on minorities, have criticised the sermon regulation as "undesirable". "Long before the Foundation issued its instructions, our clerics have been vocal against terrorism," said Mufti Faiz Ullah, secretary general of Islamic Oikya Jote, a faith-based party. Last month, just ahead of the cafe attack, a pro-government council of clerics issued a fatwa against violent Jihad, which was endorsed by more than 100,000 imams. (AFP)

Bangladesh regulates?Friday?sermons after attacks

Myanmar police have arrested five villagers for burning down a mosque last week, an officer said today, as authorities look to contain religious violence in the Buddhist-majority nation. 
 
Anti-Muslim sentiment has fomented across Myanmar in recent years, sporadically erupting into bloodshed and threatening to damage democratic gains in the former junta-run country.&nbsp; 
 
In the past two weeks, Buddhist mobs have ransacked two mosques in separate towns, sending Muslim residents fleeing to other villages for safety. 
 
Myanmar`s state security forces, which are overwhelmingly Buddhist, have faced criticism for slow or incomplete investigations into previous acts of religious violence.&nbsp; 
 
But today they said they had arrested five people linked to the attack on a mosque in northern Kachin State last Friday. 
 
&quot;We have arrested four men and a woman. They (were part of the group) who destroyed the mosque,&quot; Moe Lwin, a police officer from Lone Khin, the affected village, told AFP. 
 
&#39;It is not very easy to take legal action against all people concerned&#39;&nbsp; 
 
The group allegedly joined the armed Buddhist mob that stormed the prayer hall and burned it to the ground last week.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;It is not very easy to take legal action against all the people concerned with this case as there were many people there on that day,&quot; he added.&nbsp; 
 
But no arrests have been made in the central Bago village where another mosque was ransacked last month, according to a local Muslim leader. 
 
&quot;I can see the people who destroyed the mosque walking in front of me every day in the village,&quot; Win Shwe, the mosque`s secretary, told AFP. 
 
Bouts of religious violence have left scores dead&nbsp; 
 
Bouts of religious violence in Myanmar have torn communities apart and left scores dead in recent years, with the worst bloodshed hitting western Rakhine state in 2012.&nbsp; 
 
Rakhine remains almost completely divided on religious grounds, with the one-million-strong Muslim Rohingya facing heavy restrictions on their movement and discrimination from a government that denies them citizenship.&nbsp; 
 
Carving out a solution for the stateless minority, who are reviled by increasingly strident Buddhist nationalists, has posed a steep challenge to the new administration led by Aung San Suu Kyi.&nbsp; 
 
The veteran rights activist has come under fire for failing to take up the group&#39;s plight as she seeks to avoid stoking further unrest over the sensitive issue. 
 
UN rights office spokesman Rupert Colville said the body was particularly concerned by reports that police were at the mosque on Friday but had failed to take action to prevent it being destroyed. 
 
&quot;We call on the government to investigate both these incidents, as well as the responses by local authorities, in a prompt and thorough manner,&quot; he said. 
 
&quot;These acts of mob violence could fuel a further cycle of hostility in the country, and we urge immediate steps be taken to prevent further incidents of religious intolerance.&quot; 
 
(AFP)

In the past two weeks, Buddhist mobs have ransacked two mosques in separate towns

Myanmar police have arrested five villagers for burning down a mosque last week, an officer said today, as authorities look to contain religious violence in the Buddhist-majority nation. Anti-Muslim sentiment has fomented across Myanmar in recent years, sporadically erupting into bloodshed and threatening to damage democratic gains in the former junta-run country. In the past two weeks, Buddhist mobs have ransacked two mosques in separate towns, sending Muslim residents fleeing to other villages for safety. Myanmar`s state security forces, which are overwhelmingly Buddhist, have faced criticism for slow or incomplete investigations into previous acts of religious violence. But today they said they had arrested five people linked to the attack on a mosque in northern Kachin State last Friday. "We have arrested four men and a woman. They (were part of the group) who destroyed the mosque," Moe Lwin, a police officer from Lone Khin, the affected village, told AFP. 'It is not very easy to take legal action against all people concerned' The group allegedly joined the armed Buddhist mob that stormed the prayer hall and burned it to the ground last week. "It is not very easy to take legal action against all the people concerned with this case as there were many people there on that day," he added. But no arrests have been made in the central Bago village where another mosque was ransacked last month, according to a local Muslim leader. "I can see the people who destroyed the mosque walking in front of me every day in the village," Win Shwe, the mosque`s secretary, told AFP. Bouts of religious violence have left scores dead Bouts of religious violence in Myanmar have torn communities apart and left scores dead in recent years, with the worst bloodshed hitting western Rakhine state in 2012. Rakhine remains almost completely divided on religious grounds, with the one-million-strong Muslim Rohingya facing heavy restrictions on their movement and discrimination from a government that denies them citizenship. Carving out a solution for the stateless minority, who are reviled by increasingly strident Buddhist nationalists, has posed a steep challenge to the new administration led by Aung San Suu Kyi. The veteran rights activist has come under fire for failing to take up the group's plight as she seeks to avoid stoking further unrest over the sensitive issue. UN rights office spokesman Rupert Colville said the body was particularly concerned by reports that police were at the mosque on Friday but had failed to take action to prevent it being destroyed. "We call on the government to investigate both these incidents, as well as the responses by local authorities, in a prompt and thorough manner," he said. "These acts of mob violence could fuel a further cycle of hostility in the country, and we urge immediate steps be taken to prevent further incidents of religious intolerance." (AFP)

Five arrested in Myanmar for burning down mosque

A doctor headed for morning prayers at a Houston mosque was reportedly ambushed by three masked men who shot and wounded him today, a day after a Muslim man was beaten outside a Florida mosque. 
 
The victim of the Texas incident, identified as Dr Arslan Tajammul, an eye specialist, was undergoing surgery and was expected to survive, according to KTRK, an ABC television affiliate. 
 
The doctor had parked his car and was walking to the Madrasah Islamiah mosque when he was ambushed and shot twice at about 5:30am. The three attackers fled on foot, KTRK reported. 
 
The victim was able to toss his cell phone to someone at the entrance to the mosque on Bintliff Drive and DeMoss Drive , in southwest Houston, and ask them to call 911, the TV station said. 
 
Houston police did not immediately respond to a request for information. 
 
The shooting took place a day after a Muslim man was beaten outside a Florida mosque that had been attended by the gunman who killed 49 people at an Orlando nightclub. 
 
The victim in that case was punched in the head and face outside the Fort Pierce Islamic Center just after 4am on Saturday, the St. Lucie County sheriff&#39;s office said. 
 
Taylor Anthony Mazzanti, 25, was arrested in the attack and was charged with felony battery, the sheriff&#39;s office said. 
 
No racially motivated comments were made to the suspect during the incident, said the sheriff&#39;s office, which added the case is under investigation. 
 
The Florida branch of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), however, said the attacker uttered racially offensive comments including &quot;you Muslims need to get back to your country&quot;, before assaulting the victim. 
 
The Islamic Center&#39;s imam had requested extra security in the wake of last month&#39;s mass shooting by Omar Mateen at the Orlando gay nightclub Pulse. Mateen used to pray at the center. 
 
( Reuters)

Attack comes a day after a Muslim man was beaten outside a Florida mosque that had been attended by Omar Mateen

A doctor headed for morning prayers at a Houston mosque was reportedly ambushed by three masked men who shot and wounded him today, a day after a Muslim man was beaten outside a Florida mosque. The victim of the Texas incident, identified as Dr Arslan Tajammul, an eye specialist, was undergoing surgery and was expected to survive, according to KTRK, an ABC television affiliate. The doctor had parked his car and was walking to the Madrasah Islamiah mosque when he was ambushed and shot twice at about 5:30am. The three attackers fled on foot, KTRK reported. The victim was able to toss his cell phone to someone at the entrance to the mosque on Bintliff Drive and DeMoss Drive , in southwest Houston, and ask them to call 911, the TV station said. Houston police did not immediately respond to a request for information. The shooting took place a day after a Muslim man was beaten outside a Florida mosque that had been attended by the gunman who killed 49 people at an Orlando nightclub. The victim in that case was punched in the head and face outside the Fort Pierce Islamic Center just after 4am on Saturday, the St. Lucie County sheriff's office said. Taylor Anthony Mazzanti, 25, was arrested in the attack and was charged with felony battery, the sheriff's office said. No racially motivated comments were made to the suspect during the incident, said the sheriff's office, which added the case is under investigation. The Florida branch of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), however, said the attacker uttered racially offensive comments including "you Muslims need to get back to your country", before assaulting the victim. The Islamic Center's imam had requested extra security in the wake of last month's mass shooting by Omar Mateen at the Orlando gay nightclub Pulse. Mateen used to pray at the center. ( Reuters)

Doctor shot by three masked attackers outside Houston mosque

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