Pope Francis has issued a stinging criticism of the persecution of Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar. In his remarks on Wednesday, the leader of the world’s Catholics said the members of the ethnic minority group had been killed “simply because they want to live their culture and their Muslim faith.”

Pope said the Rohingya were forced to be “moved from one place to the other because no one wants them.” “But they are good people, peaceful. They are not Christian. They are good people. They are our brothers and sisters,” the pontiff added, as he addressed people at the weekly general audience.

Elsewhere in his remarks, Pope Francis appealed for prayers for the Rohingya. “I would like to pray together with you today in a special way for our Rohingya brothers and sisters.” The remarks came following last week’s UN report that security forces in the north of Myanmar had carried out mass killings, gang rapes and burned villages.

Earlier in the month, a report by the UN human rights office said Myanmar’s crackdown on the Rohingya had likely killed hundreds of people, in a campaign that could amount to crimes against humanity and “ethnic cleansing.”

Meanwhile, UN Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide Adama Dieng recently said the scale of violence against the Rohingya was “revolting and unacceptable.” Human Rights Watch said in a report on Monday that Myanmar’s government forces had committed “rape and other sexual violence” against women and girls of the Rohingya.

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