Pope Leo XIV blasted the “handful of tyrants” who are ravaging Earth with war and exploitation, as he preached a message of peace Thursday in the epicenter of a separatist conflict in central Africa considered one of the world’s most neglected crises.

In a speech that seemed targeted at those in positions of power, Pope Leo said that “serving one’s country means dedicating oneself, with a clear mind and an upright conscience, to the common good of all people in the nation.

Reflecting on the visit to Algeria, the Pope described it as 'a wonderful opportunity to continue building bridges and promoting dialogue.'

Pope Leo XIV spent his second day in Cameroon in Bamenda, the center of separatist fighting, calling for peace and criticizing the "masters of war."

Arriving in Yaoundé on Wednesday, Pope Leo XIV pressed Cameroon’s leaders to address corruption, setting the tone for a high-stakes visit.View on euronews

On arrival in the country on Wednesday, the pope appealed to Cameroon's leaders to examine their "conscience" and tackle corruption and rights abuses. View on euronews

Pope Leo XIV on Thursday criticized the 'tyrants' ransacking the world, on a high-security visit to a 'bloodstained' region of Cameroon, as his war of words with US President Donald Trump continued.

Pope Leo XIV has led a peace meeting in Cameroon’s northwestern city of Bamenda, which is part of a region battered by a separatist violence.

At a peace gathering in Bamenda’s Cathedral, the Pope praised interreligious solidarity and urged a 'true conversion' away from war.

Blessed are the peacemakers! But woe to those who manipulate religion and the very name of God for their own military, economic and political gain, dragging that which is sacred into darkness and filth.

The pope celebrated his first large Mass in Africa, calling out those who "lay their hands on the African continent to exploit and plunder it."