Pope Francis calls on Syrian rebels to stabilise country

By Joshua McElwee

Pope Francis on Wednesday called on the Syrian rebels who toppled the regime of President Bashar al-Assad to stabilise the country, and govern in a way that promotes national unity.

"I hope they find political solutions that, without other conflicts or divisions, responsibly promote the stability and unity of the country," the pontiff said during his weekly audience at the Vatican.

The pope, in his first public remarks about Syria since the ending of al-Assad's rule, also called on the country's diverse religious groups to "walk together in friendship and mutual respect for the good of the nation".

Francis, as leader of the 1.4-billion-member Catholic Church, often addresses global conflicts, and usually stresses the importance of de-escalation.

He has decried the casualties in the Syrian conflict at various points over the years. In 2016 he took the unusual step of making the Vatican's ambassador to the country a cardinal, the second-highest rank in the Church.

Muslims make up about 90% of Syria's population. Christians have an historic presence in the country, but are a small minority. The Vatican estimates there are around 300,000 Catholics among a population of some 25 million.