Pope, after Mosul blast, says 'imperative' to protect civilians

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Pope Francis on Wednesday said it was "imperative and urgent" to protect civilians in Iraq, speaking as U.S. investigators looked into who caused an explosion in Mosul that killed scores of non-combatants.

Addressing tens of thousands of people at his weekly general audience in St. Peter's Square, Francis said he was "concerned about civilian populations trapped in the neighbourhoods of western Mosul".