CAIRO (AA) – The Egyptian Health Ministry confirmed Monday that three people were killed and 18 others injured in an attack on a church in the Giza province late Sunday, amid condemnation from leading Islamic institutions and parties.
In a statement, the ministry said the wounded have been taken to several hospitals for treatment.
The Interior Ministry said two militants riding a motorbike had opened fire at a number of people emerging from a wedding ceremony at the Virgin Church in the Giza suburb of Warraq, west of the capital Cairo.
Security authorities are combing the area looking for the militants who had fled the scene.
The attack drew immediate condemnation from Al-Azhar, the highest seat of religious learning in the Muslim Sunni world.
In a statement, Al-Azhar dismissed the attack as "terrorist" and asserted that attacks on churches are forbidden by Islam.
Al-Jamaa al-Islamiya and its political arm, the Construction and Development Party, also condemned the church attack.
Amr Darrag, a former minister in the government of ousted president Mohamed Morsi and a senior leader of the Muslim Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party, also denounced the shooting attack.
englishnews@aa.com.tr
