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Arab countries condemn deadly truck attack in Berlin

Xinhua, December 20, 2016 Adjust font size:

A deadly truck rampage through crowds at a Christmas market in Berlin, Germany, has drown condemnation from Arab countries and a regional Islamic organization.

Egypt, the most populous Arab country, condemned Monday's attack that left at least 12 people dead and 48 others wounded.

"The phenomenon of terrorism seriously threatens peace and stability worldwide," the Egyptian Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Tuesday.

It called on the international community to fully cooperate to uproot terrorist groups that are behind such heinous attacks, saying these acts are a violation of all human values and norms.

The United Arab Emirates also condemned the attack, stressing its long-standing position of renouncing violence and terrorism in all their forms, UAE state news agency WAM reported.

"Such criminal acts that target innocent civilians are incompatible with human values and ethical principles," the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation in Abu Dhabi said.

It offered condolences to the families of the deceased and wished the wounded a speedy recovery.

The Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO) condemned the attack.

In a statement, ISESCO's director Abdulaziz Othman Altwaijri described the attack as an "act of terrorism" and a "heinous crime" against innocent people that should be condemned and its perpetrators and masterminds be punished.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Tuesday "We must assume it was a terrorist attack."

According to Berlin police, it is suspected that the truck used in the attack was stolen from a construction site in Poland and was deliberately driven into the crowd at the Christmas market.

They said a Polish man was found dead inside the vehicle but added he was not in control of it. Endit