Pope Francis started a three-day visit in Turkey by calling an end to Islamist extremism, which threatens Christians and other minorities along the country's southern border, The New York Times reported.

He told President Recep Tayyip Erdogan that military action on the government's part was not enough to eradicate the problem.

In a televised speech in Ankara, the capital of Turkey, the Pope also addressed the issue of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria.

He said that terrorist violence showed no signs of slowing in the near future and in fact seemed to be escalating. He called for a reversal of the centuries-old aggression against the Christian faith and its followers.

"Fanaticism and fundamentalism, as well as irrational fears, which foster misunderstanding and discrimination, need to be countered by the solidarity of all believers," Pope Francis said.

He did however, acknowledge Turkey's role in sheltering at least 1.6 million refugees who have fled from the two afflicted countries -- including Christians and Yazidis.

"I wish to express my appreciation for everything that the Turkish people, Muslims and Christians alike, are doing to help the hundreds of thousands of people who are fleeing their countries due to conflict. This is a clear example of how we can work together to serve others," the pope said.

In reply to the pope's comments, Erdogan agreed and encouraged dialogue between the two parties. He said that Muslims should, in fact, reconcile with Christians in the Middle East and set an example for the Western world where Islamaphobia is rife.

Francis' sentiments are a stark contrast to his predecessor, Benedict XVI, who called Islam evil and inhuman in 2006.

The pope was heavily guarded during his visit to Ankara and Istanbul with thousands of police officers on duty. A Turkish nationalist was responsible for shooting Pope John Paul II in St. Peter's Square in Rome in 1981.

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