Al-Azhar, Sunni Islam’s most prestigious centre of learning, has called for the killing and crucifixion of militants from the Islamic State group, expressing outrage over their murder of a Jordanian pilot. In a statement after the burning alive of Muath Al-Kaseasbeh, the Cairo-based authority’s head, Ahmed al-Tayib expressed his “strong dismay at this cowardly act”. Tayib said this “requires the punishment mentioned in the Koran for these corrupt oppressors who fight against God and his prophet: killing, crucifixion or chopping of the limbs.” The IS group in a video claimed the gruesome killing of Kaseasbeh.