Pope Francis on Wednesday has condemned recent attacks in Somalia, Afghanistan and New York, saying militants were abusing the name of God to justify their violence, the Reuters news agency reports.
The pontiff is quoted as saying:
I am profoundly saddened by the terrorist attacks in these recent days in Somalia, Afghanistan and yesterday in New York.
We ask God to convert the hearts of terrorists and free the world of hatred and of mad murder that abuses the name of God to disseminate death.”
There were two deadly attacks on the Somali capital, Mogadishu, last month.
Last Saturday, 27 people died in an attack by al-Shabab militants.
A lorry bomb two weeks earlier killed more than 350 people – the deadliest attack in Somalia’s history.
