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UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The Vatican is urging the U.N. to use force if necessary to stop the "atrocious persecution" of religious minorities in Iraq and Syria.
Vatican Secretary of State Pietro Parolin made his appeal Monday in a speech to the U.N. General Assembly.
Cardinal Parolin, who ranks second only to Pope Francis, denounced militants who are "persecuting and murdering in the name of God," and said there's an urgent need "to stop aggression through multilateral action and a proportionate use of force."
He said "the combined forces of a number of nations will be required to guarantee the defense of unarmed citizens."
Without naming the Islamic State group, Parolin said violence against religious minorities shows "a disregard for God and falsifies religion itself."
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