Egypt and Al-Azhar on Wednesday strongly condemned an attempt to target the holy city of Mecca, warning against the expansion of regional conflicts to Islamic holy sites and reaffirming support for Saudi Arabia’s security and sovereignty.
In a statement, Egypt’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Cairo “condemns and strongly denounces the reprehensible attempt to target the city of Mecca,” describing the incident as a serious violation of the sanctity of religious sites.
Egypt stressed that such attacks contradict Islamic values and constitute a clear violation of the rules and principles of international law.
The Foreign Ministry also reiterated Egypt’s complete rejection of any actions that could threaten Saudi Arabia’s security, saying the kingdom’s security is an integral part of Arab national security and closely linked to Egypt’s own national security.
Cairo also expressed its support for any measures taken by Saudi Arabia to safeguard its sovereignty, territorial security, and citizens.
In a separate statement, Al-Azhar Al-Sharif strongly condemned the attempt to target Mecca, describing any action that places Islam’s holiest city at risk as a “heinous crime” and an attack on a sanctity revered by Muslims around the world.
Al-Azhar warned against further widening the scope of regional conflicts to include Islamic holy sites, stressing that Mecca must never be turned into an arena for conflict or threats.
“The sanctity of Mecca is one of the fundamental tenets of the Islamic faith that must never be violated or threatened,” Al-Azhar said.
It added that the security of the Two Holy Mosques should not be regarded merely as a political or regional matter, but as an issue concerning Muslims worldwide.
Al-Azhar said targeting Mecca or exposing it to danger would provoke the feelings of nearly two billion Muslims, who turn towards the city in prayer and travel there from across the world to perform the Hajj pilgrimage.
It stressed that protecting the sanctity of Mecca and ensuring the safety of worshippers and pilgrims is a responsibility that should be respected by Muslims and non-Muslims alike and should remain separate from political calculations and regional conflicts.
