DHAKA: Pope Francis has told worshippers in a mosque in the Central African Republic that ‘Christians and Muslims are brothers and sisters’.

He was speaking to Muslims who had sought shelter in the capital Bangui after nearly three years of violence between Christians and Muslims.

The mosque visit was seen as perhaps the most difficult part of his Africa tour, a BBC correspondent says.

Pope Francis then held the final Mass of his Africa trip in Bangui.

More than 100,000 Muslims left the capital as a result of the fighting but 15,000 are left in an area called PK5, according to the campaign group Human Rights Watch (HRW).

Imam Tidiani Moussa Naibi thanked the Pope for his visit and said it was ‘a symbol which we all understand’, the media report.

On Sunday, the Pope called on fighting factions in the CAR to lay down their weapons.

About half of CAR’s population is Christian and 15% are Muslim.

Celebrating Mass in Bangui, he said they should instead arm themselves ‘with justice, love, mercy and authentic peace’.

Earlier, he said he hoped next month's election in the CAR would open a ‘new chapter’ for the country.

The trip to the CAR is the pontiff’s first visit to a conflict zone and the final stop on his three-nation African tour that also took in Kenya and Uganda.

BDST: 1814 HRS, NOV 30, 2015
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