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Terrorist Attack on Quebec Mosque Kills 6

Terrorist Attack on Quebec Mosque Kills 6
Terrorist Attack on Quebec Mosque Kills 6

At least six people were killed in a shooting at a mosque in Quebec City during evening prayers, police said.

Gunmen fired on about 50 people inside the Quebec Islamic Cultural Centre on Sunday at 8pm local time (01:00 GMT), Aljazeera reported.

"Six people are confirmed dead - they range in age from 35 to about 70," Quebec provincial police spokeswoman Christine Coulombe told reporters, adding that eight people were wounded and 39 were unharmed.

Police said two suspects had been arrested, but gave no details about them or what prompted the attack.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau condemned the shooting as a "terrorist attack on Muslims in a centre of worship and refuge".

"Muslim Canadians are an important part of our national fabric, and these senseless acts have no place in our communities, cities and country," he said in a statement.

The shooting came on the weekend that Trudeau said Canada would welcome refugees, after US President Donald Trump suspended the US refugee program and temporarily barred citizens from seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the country. 

Philippe Couillard, premier of Quebec, said on Twitter that Sunday's attack "is a terrorist act", and called for "solidarity with Quebecers of the Muslim faith".

The mosque was previously targeted in an Islamophobic attack. In June 2016, during Ramadan, a pig's head was left on the mosque's doorstep along with a note that said "bon appetit". Pork is forbidden in Islam.

 

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