Pope decries Syrian atrocities

Addressing the crowd gathered in Saint Peter's Square, Pope Francis offers prayers for Syria.

Responding to the suspected use of chemical weapons, he used Sunday's Angelus prayer to denounce atrocities in the Syria's civil war.

(SOUNDBITE) (Italian) POPE FRANCIS SAYING:

"The increase in violence in a war between brothers, with the proliferation of massacres and atrocities that we can all see in the terrible images of these days, leads me once again to admonishments to stop the noise of weapons.

The pontiff called on the international community to do more to help end the two-and-a-half year conflict that has claimed over 100,000 lives.

His appeal comes the same day the Syrian government warned the US against any military intervention over the suspected chemical attack.