Turkey, OIC urge fight against Islamophobia, terrorism

By Andac Hongur</p> <p>ISTANBUL (AA) – Turkey’s foreign minister and the head of the international Muslim bloc on Friday urged the world to wage a battle against Islamophobia, intolerance, racism, and terrorism.</p> <p>“We call upon the whole world as a country that has built its foreign policy on human values ​​and as president of the OIC summit,” Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu told an emergency Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) meeting in Istanbul. “Let's take a comprehensive look at hostility towards Islam, intolerance, racism and terrorism, and fight against them together.”</p> <p>Last Friday, at least 50 Muslims were killed and as many injured when a terrorist entered two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand and shot worshippers in cold blood, including four children younger than 18.</p> <p>Yousef bin Ahmad Al-Othaimeen, the OIC’s secretary general, said that in the wake of last week’s attacks, March 15 should become a day of international solidarity against Islamophobia.</p> <p>*Writing by Beyza Binnur Donmez and Erdogan Cagatay Zontur</p> <p>