AL chief condemns Cairo church terror attack

CAIRO, Dec. 29 (Xinhua) -- Arab League (AL) Secretary General Ahmed Aboul-Gheit condemned on Friday a terrorist attack that left at least ten people dead outside a church south of Egyptian capital Cairo.

In a statement, Aboul-Gheit also offered his condolences to the Egyptian government and the victims' families, wishing the injured a speedy recovery.

The AL stands by Egypt in the face of terrorism that aims at undermining the country's security and stability and sowing sedition among Egyptians, the statement said.

The AL chief also called for unifying Arab and international efforts to fight terrorism at all levels.

At least ten people were killed in a shootout outside a church south of Cairo on Friday.

Egyptian Health Ministry said the ten killed include one attacker and one policeman, who are Muslims, and eight Copts.

The ministry added that at least five others were wounded, with two of them being in serious conditions.

The attack came in the run-up to Orthodox Christmas celebrations next week.

No group has yet claimed responsibility for the attack.

The Islamic State group's affiliate in Egypt has killed dozens of Christians in church bombings and shootings over the past year.

Egypt's Coptic Christians, the largest religious minority in the region, make up about 10 percent of the country's 93 million people. Enditem