Azhar Grand Imam Ahmed el Tayyeb and Pope Tawadros II, the 118 Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark, observed a minute of silence to mourn the death of army soldiers and policemen while defending their nation.

During a meeting late Wednesday of the board of trustees of Beit el Eila (or the Family's Home) - which convenes periodically in Azhar and the Cathedral, Imam Tayyeb and Pope Tawadros underlined the key role which Azhar and the Church play in confronting extremist thoughts and disseminating the values of forgiveness and cooperation.

The two hailed the role played by the armed forces and policemen in maintaining the country's security.

The meeting - which was attended by key Azhar and church leaderships - tackled the latest developments in the country to confront terror and spread awareness about its danger.

On Thursday, the army waged a war against terror in Sinai after simultaneous terror attacks on five checkpoints. Scores of army personnel and terrorists were killed and injured.