African Muslim leaders condemn hotel attack in Mali

JOHANNESBURG

Muslim leaders from several African countries have condemned Friday’s hostage taking in Mali and the recent wave of terrorist attacks in Nigeria and France.

At least 22 people, including 19 hostages and three attackers have been killed in the ongoing siege of the Radisson Blu Hotel in the Malian capital of Bamako, Malian security officials said Friday.

The dead include a French and a Belgian national, local security sources told Anadolu Agency. Dozens of people were also injured.

"We condemn the terrorist attacks which happened in Nigeria and the unfolding situation in Mali," Maulana Ihsaan Hendricks, president of South Africa’s Muslim Judicial Council (MJC), told Anadolu Agency on Friday.

He said groups that carry out attacks in the name of Islam should be condemned because Islam forbids acts of terror.

"Whenever someone commits a terrorist attack in the name of Islam, we believe it’s our responsibility to condemn them," he said. "Islam is completely innocent of such terror attacks."

On Friday, a group of militant Islamists took 170 people hostage at a hotel in Mali's capital Bamako.

Malian minister Salif Traore told the media that there were no more hostages with gunmen at Radisson Blu Hotel in Bamako.

This week, Nigeria’s Boko Haram militant group detonated explosives in the cities of Kano and Yola, killing dozens of innocent civilians.

The South African Muslim leader conveyed his heartfelt sympathies and condolences to all people who lost their loved ones during acts of terrorism across the world.

"We condemn these senseless, violent and callous acts of aggression against innocent civilians. Unscrupulous, barbaric acts of vengeance have no place in society," the MJC said in an earlier statement posted on its website.

Mozambique’s leader, Sheikh Ameen Uddin, also condemned the attacks saying the teachings of Islam forbid all acts of terrorism.

"Islam’s position is clear. We are not allowed to kill any innocent persons. We as Muslims in Mozambique distance ourselves from those committing such acts of terrorism in the name of our religion," he told Anadolu Agency via telephone.

He also urged the media to cease generalizing and characterizing Muslims as terrorists or sympathizers of terrorism, as it was only a small group of Muslims committing acts of terror.

"Islam has nothing to do with terrorism. Those committing these crimes must be found, arrested and prosecuted," he said.

Sheikh Dinala Chabulika, of the Islamic information center of Malawi also added his voice in condemning terrorism and Friday’s hostage taking in Mali.

"These groups, Daesh, Boko Haram, al-Shabaab [mainly in Somalia], and others, don’t represent Islam. Terrorism is against the Quran and teachings of our Prophet Muhammad," he told Anadolu Agency via telephone from Malawi.

For his part, Rwanda’s Muslim leader, Ibrahim Kayitare, said Islam teaches tolerance and coexistence with non-Muslims.

"There is no teaching in Islam that supports terrorism. As Muslims we strongly condemn acts of terrorism, because Islam teaches us tolerance," he told Anadolu Agency by telephone from the Rwandan capital of Kigali.

He said Muslims are required to live in peace and harmony with non-Muslims.

EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini at the G5 Sahel summit in Chad reacted to the hostage situation in Mali.

"Yesterday we were all Paris. Today, we are all Bamako," she said. "The EU supports the Malian government and the Malian people in this difficult time as Bamako is under a barbaric attack by terrorist without goals."

Chadian President Idriss Deby, also at the summit, added: "Whilst we are holding a summit on security, the Malian capital faces terrorists. On behalf of the head of states here in N'Djamena [the Chadian capital] and on behalf of my country, we extend our support to Mali in this difficult time."

The G5 Sahel comprises of Burkina Faso, Mali, Mauritania, Niger and Chad.