VATICAN CITY (AP) — The Vatican says Pope Francis was "shocked and profoundly saddened" by a murderous attack at a home for the elderly in southern Yemen that killed 16 people, including four nuns. 
 
 The Vatican secretary of state said in a condolence message on Saturday that the pontiff "prays that this pointless slaughter will awaken consciences, lead to a change of heart, and inspire all parties to lay down their arms." 
 
 Officials and witnesses in Yemen said gunmen on Friday stormed a retirement home run by a charity established by Mother Teresa, moving room to room handcuffing the victims before shooting them in the head. 
 
 The pope sent prayers for the dead and expressed his spiritual closeness to those affected by this "this act of senseless and diabolical violence." ||||| Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption The BBC's David Campanale says the attack is being blamed on IS 
 
 Pope Francis has condemned the killing of 16 people, including four Catholic nuns, at an old people's home in Yemen. 
 
 He called Friday's gun attack in Aden an "act of senseless and diabolical violence". 
 
 Reports said the attackers pretended they were visiting their mothers to gain access to the home. 
 
 No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, though Yemeni officials have blamed so-called Islamic State. 
 
 In a statement, the Vatican said two of the nuns killed were Rwandan, one was Indian and one was from Kenya. 
 
 'Pointless slaughter' 
 
 They were working as nurses at the home and had been serving breakfast to its 80 residents when the attack occurred. 
 
 All the victims were shot in the head and had been handcuffed, the Associated Press reported, citing the brother of a victim. 
 
 The nuns were from the Missionaries of Charity congregation, which runs the home and was founded in Calcutta by Mother Teresa. 
 
 Pope Francis "prays that this pointless slaughter will awaken consciences, lead to a change of heart, and inspire all parties to lay down their arms and take up the path of dialogue", Vatican Secretary of State Pietro Parolin said. 
 
 "He sends the assurance of his prayers for the dead and his spiritual closeness to their families and to all affected from this act of senseless and diabolical violence." 
 
 Image copyright EPA Image caption The care home looks after some 80 elderly people 
 
 Image copyright AFP Image caption Breakfast was being served when the attack occurred 
 
 Missionaries of Charity spokeswoman Sunita Kumar said members were "absolutely stunned" by the killings. 
 
 The nun in charge managed to hide and escaped unharmed. 
 
 Yemen is engulfed in a brutal civil war between Iran-backed Zaidi Shia Houthi rebels in the north and the Saudi-Arabia backed government in the south. 
 
 Islamic State and Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) have both taken advantage of the war to gain ground in the country. 
 
 More than 6,000 people have been killed and 2.4 million people displaced in Yemen's war, the UN says. 
 
 Forces loyal to the government and southern militias regained control of Aden in July, aided by Saudi-led coalition air strikes and troops. ||||| 2016-03-05 Vatican Radio 
 
 (Vatican Radio) Pope Francis was “shocked and profoundly saddened” by the murder of four Missionaries of Charity and twelve other people at a home for the elderly in Aden, Yemen. 
 
 Gunmen entered the building on Friday and went room-to-room, handcuffing victims before shooting them in the head. 
 
 A message signed by the Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, said the Holy Father “sends the assurance of his prayers for the dead and his spiritual closeness to their families and to all affected from this act of senseless and diabolical violence.” 
 
 The message said Pope Francis “prays that this pointless slaughter will awaken consciences, lead to a change of heart, and inspire all parties to lay down their arms and take up the path of dialogue.” 
 
 It concludes with a strong appeal for an end to the ongoing violence in Yemen. 
 
 “In the name of God, he calls upon all parties in the present conflict to renounce violence, and to renew their commitment to the people of Yemen, particularly those most in need, whom the Sisters and their helpers sought to serve” – the message reads – “Upon everyone suffering from this violence, the Holy Father invokes God’s blessing, and in a special ways he extends to the Missionaries of Charity his prayerful sympathy and solidarity.” 
 
 The full text of the message is below 
 
 His Holiness Pope Francis was shocked and profoundly saddened to learn of the killing of four Missionaries of Charity and twelve others at a home for the elderly in Aden. He sends the assurance of his prayers for the dead and his spiritual closeness to their families and to all affected from this act of senseless and diabolical violence. He prays that this pointless slaughter will awaken consciences, lead to a change of heart, and inspire all parties to lay down their arms and take up the path of dialogue. In the name of God, he calls upon all parties in the present conflict to renounce violence, and to renew their commitment to the people of Yemen, particularly those most in need, whom the Sisters and their helpers sought to serve. Upon everyone suffering from this violence, the Holy Father invokes God’s blessing, and in a special ways he extends to the Missionaries of Charity his prayerful sympathy and solidarity. 
 
 Cardinal Pietro Parolin 
 
 Secretary of State
– Four Catholic nuns and 12 others were killed during an attack on a home for the elderly Friday in Yemen, in what the Vatican is condemning as an "act of senseless and diabolical violence," CNN reports. According to the AP, six gunmen got past the home's gate in the city of Aden by pretending they were visiting their mothers. Four then entered the building and went from room to room, handcuffing victims and shooting them in the head. The nuns, members of an organization founded by Mother Teresa, were acting as nurses in the home and serving breakfast when the gunmen entered, the BBC reports. One nun was able to escape death by hiding inside a fridge. Two of the killed nuns were from Rwanda, one was from India, and another was from Kenya. A Yemeni cook and Yemeni guards were among the other victims. Pope Francis was "shocked and profoundly saddened" by the violence, according to a Vatican press release. The Vatican's secretary of state says the Pope "prays that this pointless slaughter will awaken consciences, lead to a change of heart, and inspire all parties to lay down their arms and take up the path of dialogue." A spokesperson for the nuns' organization, the Missionaries of Charity, says the nuns decided to stay in Yemen longer than required in order to continue helping people. The identity of the gunmen is unclear, but Yemeni officials are blaming ISIS. Yemen is in the midst of a civil war, which is being used as cover by both ISIS and al-Qaeda. More than 6,000 civilians have been killed since the war started.