The head of Sunni Islam's leading seat of learning, Cairo's Al-Azhar, on Saturday condemned "hateful" attacks in Paris that killed more than 120 people and urged global unity against extremism.

"We denounce this hateful incident," Ahmed al-Tayyeb told a conference in comments broadcast by Egyptian state television. "The time has come for the world to unite to confront this monster.

"Such acts are contrary to all religious, humanitarian and civilised principles," Tayyeb said at the opening of the conference  in the southern city of Luxor focused on combating "extremist thought".

A state of emergency has been declared across France in the aftermath of Friday night's coordinated shootings and bombings on Paris streets.
Source: AFP