The people of Afghanistan are facing one of the biggest migration crises in the world.
The country has had over 40 years of war and the situation only worsened when the Taliban seized control of the capital city in 2021. According to the United Nations, over 3 million Afghans have been internally displaced within the country over the last year. And over 5 million have fled to neighboring countries.
During the Angelus, the Pope brought even more international attention to the issue.
POPE FRANCIS
(I am close with) also the Afghan refugees who have found refuge in Pakistan but now have nowhere to go.
Pakistan has become home for millions of refugees. But now, the government in Pakistan is ordering 1.7 million undocumented Afghans to leave—citing a dramatic increase in violence.
But the Taliban is not the only concern for those living in or returning to Afghanistan.
Since last month, thousands of Afghans were killed by a series of devastating earthquakes on the west side of the country.
KATHERINE CAREY
Deputy Head of Office, UN Afghanistan
We've got reports of more than 3,700 homes completely destroyed, around 5,000 homes that have been severely damaged.
So this is affecting several thousand families in fairly remote, impoverished communities as well.
As the situation of the people of Afghanistan intensifies, Pope Francis prays for the suffering to end and asks for everyone to join him.
AT
