Xinhua world news summary at 1530 GMT, April 14

CAIRO -- At least eight Egyptian soldiers were killed and 15 others were wounded in a terror attack on a military camp in Central Sinai, the military said Saturday.

"A group of 14 militant terrorists, four of them wearing explosive belts, attempted to break into one of the armed forces camps in Central Sinai before the sunrise," said Tamer al-Refaay, the military spokesman, in a statement. (Egypt-Terror-Soldiers Killings)

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MOSCOW -- Russian President Vladimir Putin said Saturday that the U.S.-led strike on Syria was "an act of aggression" against a sovereign state and Russia strongly condemns it.

Russia will convene an emergency meeting of the United Nations (UN) Security Council over the missile attack, which violated the UN Charter and norms and principles of international law, he said. (Russia-Syria-Strike)

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TEHRAN -- Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Saturday denounced the airstrikes on Syria launched by the U.S., Britain and France as a "crime."

"I overtly declare that the presidents of the United States and France and the prime minister of Britain have committed crimes (in Syria) and are criminals," Khamenei said in a meeting with Iranian officials and the ambassadors of Islamic states, reported khamenei.ir website, which is affiliated to the leader's office. (Iran-Syria-U.S. Attack)

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DAMASCUS -- Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said Saturday that the U.S.-led attack on Syria reflects the "failure" of Western powers to achieve their goals in Syria after the defeat of the foreign-backed militants.

Assad made the remarks during a phone call with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, who called Assad after the U.S-led attack on Syria, the state news agency SANA reported. (Syria-Assad-U.S. Failure)

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KABUL -- The process of voters' registration for the upcoming Afghan parliamentary elections, slated for Oct. 20, formally commenced in the war-battered country on Saturday.

In his opening remarks, President Ashraf Ghani appreciated the election commission for beginning the process and assured his administration would spare no efforts to ensure transparent elections. (Afghanistan-Registration-Election) Enditem