KABUL, Sept. 12 (Xinhua) -- The Council of Afghanistan's Ulema or religious scholars has described the suicide attack as an act against their religion of Islam and strongly denounced it, the state-run newspaper Anis reported Tuesday.

    "In accordance with the respected religion of Islam, killing a Muslim by Muslim or insulting him is a sin and not permitted," the daily quoted a statement of the council as saying.

    The religious scholars of the council issued the statement amid increasing militancy and suicide attacks mostly carried out by Taliban-linked insurgents.

    Over 20 people, including a provincial governor and two U.S. soldiers, have been killed in three suicide attacks since last Friday in Afghanistan.

    A suicide bombing on Friday killed 15 people including the two U.S. soldiers in eastern Kabul just outside the U.S. embassy.

    In a suicide attack claimed by Taliban on Sunday the governor of Paktia province in southeast Afghanistan Hakim Tanaiwal and two other men were killed, while another suicide attack on the late governor's funeral ceremony Monday left six persons dead and over two dozens others wounded.

    "Keeping in mind the guidance of Islam, the Council of Afghanistan's Ulema strongly condemn carrying out suicide attacks and call on all Muslims to avoid committing such crime," the statement added, according to the daily Anis.

    More than 2,300 people mostly militants have been killed in Taliban-linked insurgency since January in Afghanistan. Enditem