Standing against 'state terror' by Israel is 'conscientious obligation': Turkish president

It is a "conscientious obligation" to stand against the "state terror" practiced by Israel, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Thursday.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of a mosque in Albania's capital Tirana, Erdogan said the Netanyahu administration has once again demonstrated that it has no intention of achieving peace in the region by attacking Lebanon.

"Once again, I urge all people of conscience, especially Muslims, to take a united stand against the Israeli aggression," he added.

"The religion of peace, Islam, must not be disconnected from its noble values, we must not allow interest groups that exploit our sacred faith for personal gain to take advantage," the Turkish president said.

Erdogan kicked off a two-day Balkan tour on Thursday that also includes Serbia.