▁condem ned ▁per sec ution ▁of ▁religious ▁minor ities ▁in ▁Ira q ▁including ▁some ▁Christian ▁vict ims . ▁He ▁did ▁not ▁mention ▁the ▁Islam ic ▁State ▁of ▁Ira q ▁and ▁the ▁Lev ant ▁specifically ▁but ▁is ▁believed ▁to ▁have ▁referred ▁to ▁it . ▁Francis ▁mentioned ▁children ▁dying ▁of ▁hung er ▁and ▁th irst , ▁kid n apped ▁women , ▁mass ac res , ▁and ▁violence ▁of ▁all ▁kinds . ▁In ▁the ▁opinion ▁of ▁Francis ▁war ▁and ▁hat red ▁cannot ▁be ▁carried ▁out ▁in ▁the ▁name ▁of ▁God . ▁Francis ▁thank ed ▁brave ▁people ▁bringing ▁aid ▁to ▁those ▁driven ▁from ▁their ▁homes . ▁He ▁confident ly ▁expects ▁an ▁effective ▁solution ▁to ▁stop ▁those ▁cr imes ▁and ▁return ▁the ▁area ▁to ▁the ▁rule ▁of ▁law ▁and , ▁in ▁a ▁break ▁with ▁V at ican ▁tradition , ▁supports ▁the ▁use ▁of ▁force ▁to ▁stop ▁Islam ic ▁milit ants ▁from ▁attack ing ▁religious ▁minor ities ▁in ▁Ira q . ▁ ▁On ▁ 9 ▁April ▁ 2 0 1 7 ▁following ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 7 ▁Pal m ▁Sunday ▁church ▁bomb ings ▁at ▁the ▁C athedral ▁of ▁St . ▁Mark ▁in ▁Alexand ria ▁and ▁the ▁Church ▁of ▁St . ▁George ▁in ▁T anta , ▁killing ▁at ▁least ▁ 4 0 ▁people ▁and ▁inj uring ▁do z ens ▁more , ▁Pope ▁Francis ▁said ▁" We ▁pray ▁for ▁the ▁vict ims ▁of ▁the ▁attack ▁carried ▁out ▁today , ▁this ▁morning , ▁in ▁C airo , ▁in ▁a ▁Co ptic ▁church ." ▁He ▁expressed ▁his ▁" deep ▁cond ol ences