Pope Francis said he was praying for an Armenian Catholic priest who was killed by ISIS in Syria on Monday.

“I'm close to the Armeno-Catholic community of Kamichlié, in Syria, meeting for the funeral of its priest, Father Joseph Bedoyan, killed yesterday along with his father,” Francis tweeted.

“I'm praying for them, for the relatives, and for all Christians in Syria”.

Fr. Hovsep Bedoyan, pastor of the Armenian Catholic community of Qamishli, Syria, and his father, Fr. Apraham Bedoyan were killed while passing through the road under terrorists’ control.

Later in the day Rudaw agency said the Islamic State claimed responsibility for the killing via its propaganda channels on Telegram.

Armenian Foreign Ministry issued a statement on Tuesday “to condemn in the strongest terms the terrorist act committed in Deir ez-Zor province of Syria”.