Egypt's Grand Imam seeks Arab support for Syria

Egypt’s Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, Ahmed el-Tayeb, has called on the Arab and Islamic countries to support the Syrian people in their current plight. In a statement, the Muslim scholar said that Arab leaders must bear responsibility and help their brothers in Syria. The Egyptian imam issued the rallying cry during a meeting with the Assistant Director-General of Syrian Scholars Association, Mohamed Yasser al-Masdy in Cairo. The Syrian cleric urged the Muslim community in Egypt to support the Syrian people in their battle against the ruling regime. The delegate praised the efforts of Egypt's Al-Azhar University in trying to unify Muslims around the world. He claimed that thousands of Syrians had been killed in the government's military offensive against ordinary civilians, while over three million Syrians had been forced to flee into neighbouring countries as a result of President Bashar al-Assad's crackdown. Al-Masdy also expressed his fondness for the Islamic institutions' efforts to stand up to Shiite expansion in the region, and urged the imam to hold a conference in support of the Sunni Muslims.