Mosque opening in Moscow attended by Putin, Erdogan

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Mosque opening in Moscow attended by Putin, Erdogan
The newly restored Moscow Grand Mosque is silhouetted against the sky brightened by the rising sun in Moscow, Russia.

Moscow - The new mosque - built on the site of a smaller, more than 100-year-old mosque destroyed in 2011 - can accommodate 10,000 worshippers.

By AP

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Published: Wed 23 Sep 2015, 2:06 PM

Last updated: Wed 23 Sep 2015, 8:37 PM

Russian President Vladimir Putin has been joined by the Turkish and Palestinian leaders at the ceremonial opening of the Russian capital's new main mosque.
An estimated 2 million Muslims now live in Moscow, which has seen an influx of people from the North Caucasus republics of southern Russia, Azerbaijan and the former Soviet states in Central Asia.
The new mosque - built on the site of a smaller, more than 100-year-old mosque destroyed in 2011 - can accommodate 10,000 worshippers, but it is still one of only six mosques in the city. Calls from Muslim religious leaders to build more mosques have met with opposition from city officials and residents.
Putin was joined at Wednesday's ceremony by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

(L-R) Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chairman of the Council of Muftis of Russia Ravil Gainutdin.
(L-R) Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chairman of the Council of Muftis of Russia Ravil Gainutdin.
Russian President Vladimir Putin as he delivers a speech at a ceremony to open the Moscow Grand Mosque.
Russian President Vladimir Putin as he delivers a speech at a ceremony to open the Moscow Grand Mosque.

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