Fox News criticised after describing entire African continent as 'war-torn'

US channel was running segment ahead of Pope Francis' trip to three African nations, starting in Kenya

(Fox News, via Twitter @James Smart)

Fox News provoked anger on social media after appearing to refer to the entire African continent as a “war torn” country.

The conservative US television show ran a segment on Wednesday ahead of Pope Francis’ trip to Kenya, as part of his first official visit to the African continent.

During the segment, the broadcaster ran a trail across the screen reading: “Pope Francis to visit war-torn Africa”.

While Pope Francis is scheduled to visit the Central African Republic – plagued by a long-running and bitter conflict – he was touching down in Nairobi, Kenya.

Kenyans – and many viewers in the US and abroad – quickly spotted the apparent inaccuracies with the hashtag #SomeoneTellFoxNews quickly gathering pace. Social media users pointed out the script was symptomatic of how western media perceives and covers the continent.

Pope Francis is scheduled to tour Kenya, CAR and Uganda. He was greeted by large crowds as he touched down in Nairobi before a giving a speech in which he said conflict fed "on fear, mistrust, and the despair born of poverty and frustration".