“Airplanes should always be carriers of peace, never of war! No one should be afraid that threats of death and destruction might come from the sky,” Pope Leo said.

Axar.az. reports, citing The Guardian, during a meeting with Italian airline staff, the pontiff calls for a ban on aerial bombings in his latest denunciation of conflicts.

Leo added: “After the tragic experiences of the 20th century, aerial bombings should have been banned for ever. Instead, they still exist, and technological development, positive in itself, is being placed at the service of war. This is not progress; it is regression!”

The pope’s criticism of the war was more pointed on Sunday, when during his weekly Angelus prayer at St Peter’s Square he renewed his appeal for a ceasefire. He described the death and suffering caused by the conflict as a “scandal to the whole human family”.

“I strongly renew my appeal for us to persevere in prayer, so that hostilities may cease and the way may finally be paved for peace,” the Pope said.