Dhaka, Jan. 10 -- Pope Leo XIV on Friday expressed solidarity with victims of 'religiously motivated violence' in Bangladesh and other countries around the world.

"Here, I would especially call to mind the many victims of violence, including religiously motivated violence in Bangladesh, in the Sahel region and in Nigeria, as well as those of the serious terrorist attack last June on the parish of Saint Elias in Damascus," he said.

"Nor do I forget the victims of jihadist violence in Cabo Delgado, Mozambique."

In his most substantial critique of U.S., Russian and other military incursions in sovereign countries, Pope Leo denounced how nations were using force to assert their dominion worldwide, "completely undermining" peace and the pos...