"My thoughts - he said at the end of the general audience – return once again to beloved and battered Syria. dramatic news concerning the fate of the people of Aleppo, with whom, through prayer and spiritual closeness, I feel united in suffering. In expressing my deep sorrow and lively concern for what is happening in that already battered city – where children, the elderly, the sick, young and old, all are dying – I renew my appeal to everyone to commit themselves with all their strength to the protection of civilians as an imperative and urgent obligation and I appeal to the conscience of those responsible for the bombing, who will be accountable before God".
Francis will again address the serious and concerning fate of Syria tomorrow, when he opens the fifth meeting on the Syrian and Iraqi humanitarian crisis promoted by the Pontifical Council "Cor Unum".
About 40 Catholics charity organizations as well as representatives of the local Bishops' Conferences, religious congregations operating in the Middle East, and to the apostolic nuncio in Syria and Iraq will attend the meeting.