On Sunday, Pope Francis condemned the use of chemical weapons in the ongoing violence in Syria and prayed for those who have been caught in the middle of the violence in his homily for the second Sunday of Easter Mass at the Vatican.
In his homily, the pope said, "There is no good and bad war, and nothing, nothing can justify the use of such instruments of extermination against defensless people and populations."
He also prayed for those who have died, the wounded and for the families that have been affected by the war, adding "We pray that political and military leaders choose th eother way: that of negotiation, the only one that can lead to a peace that is not that of death and destruction."
The pope also spoke about the various reports regarding a chemical attack in the rebel-controlled town in eastern Ghouta that killed dozens of people.
Reuters reports that the US said that if the reports regarding this attack is confirmed, international action would be demanded.
On Saturday, a joint statement by the Syrian American Medical Society and the Syrian defence service operating in the rebel-held areas stated that 39 people had died in the attack that day and it may increase up to 150 or more depending on the investigations.
The use of chemical weapons by the Syrian government has been criticized by the international community. However, the Syrian government denied that they were using chemical weapons to stop the rebels and that the rebel groups are the ones dissiminating false news.
