Pope calls on Iraqi leaders to form a government of national unity and avoid civil war

of national unity in order to avoid the continued exodus of Christians by the unprecedented attack of the Islamic State of Iraq and Levant “ISIL” organization rebels on the country.

  The Pope said, heading to the faithful people gathered in St. Peter's Square that "the news we receive from Iraq, unfortunately is very painful."

He added "I ​​join the bishops in the country to call officials to maintain on national unity and to avoid war through dialogue."

The pope expressed his solidarity with "thousands of families, especially Christianity, which had been forced to leave their homes and are threatened."

He added, "violence drag more been violence and dialogue is the only way to peace."

ISIL militants and its allied groups with them from the Baathists and the rest of the armed factions have controlled two weeks ago on the regions and cities in the Iraqi province of Nineveh, Kirkuk, Diyala and Salahuddin, after   the Iraqi army withdrew from Mosul city .