SW News: Pope Francis urges Christians to never stop praying because prayer is the gentle force that protects and sustains the world. He makes this appeal amid the numerous wars and clashes that are causing death, pain, and destruction all over the world.

The Holy Father addressed the faithful during the first Sunday Angelus of July, saying, "Let us never tire of praying for peace, even during this summer."
He urged us to pray for the people of Ukraine who are so tired. He cautioned everyone, however, not to ignore the numerous battles that are regrettably often forgotten: the many conflicts and clashes that bloody many places on Earth.
As a final call to action, the Pope urged all good people to take an interest in what is happening. He said, "Let us help those who are suffering; let us pray, for prayer is the gentle force that upholds and protects the world."

Many regions of the world are still wracked by seemingly forgotten hostilities, each of which has a significant human, financial, and social cost. Africa has shown that instability transcends national boundaries.

Sudan has been plagued by a wave of brutal violence between soldiers belonging to two opposing forces since earlier this year. Bloodshed broke out in the fight in Khartoum at first, then moved hundreds of km to Darfur. Estimates indicate that around 2.5 million Sudanese have abandoned their homes, and over 1,000 people have died as a result, though numbers are by no means reliable.

The concern is also raised by ongoing events in the Sahel region of Africa, a belt that stretches 5,400 miles from the Atlantic to the Red Sea. Over a million people need safety and humanitarian aid as a result of years of strife. And if that weren't enough, a horrifying incident on June 16 served as a warning to the world of the ongoing chaos in the eastern Congo, which is still being terrorized by armed groups.

While there has been a protracted calm in the bloodshed in Yemen, the international community is nonetheless concerned about the current situation. When rebels grabbed control of a large portion of the nation, including the capital Sanaa, the situation in the country quickly descended into violence.

When a military coalition led by Saudi Arabia joined the conflict in 2015, the situation worsened even more. Syria is present in the midst of all this. Violence continues to plague the nation, where more than 500,000 people have perished since 2011, despite being virtually missing from the news. When Russian airstrikes on the rebel-held province of Idlib resulted in at least 11 deaths, the UN only last week expressed worry about hostilities.

Nine people were killed, according to reports, making it the bloodiest strike this year. Fighter jets dropped their bombs adjacent to a fruit stand. In addition to all of this, the crisis in Ukraine adds yet another conflict to the list.