Pope Francis considered that “not all eventualities were taken into account” in leaving Afghanistan that ended on Monday the United States and its allies after 20 years of occupation, and that detonated a serious crisis in that country in the face of the Taliban advance. The pope also assured that The Vatican may already be mobilizing its diplomacy to prevent bloodshed among Afghans which now came under the power of the insurgent group. The statements are part of a brief extract of the interview that the Supreme Pontiff gave to the radio of the Spanish episcopate, Cope.
In one of the fragments anticipated this Tuesday, the journalist Carlos Herrera asked Francisco about the situation in Afghanistan after the arrival of the Taliban and if the population had been “left to their own devices”, to which the Supreme Pontiff replied: “From what can be seen here, they were not taken into account, it seems, I do not want to judge, all eventualities were not taken into account”.
Then, asked about if the Vatican can activate its diplomats to try not to retaliate among the population After the Taliban movement took power, Jorge Bergoglio assured: “Yes, and in fact I’m sure the Secretary of State is doing it.”.
The pope’s remarks were released hours after the last American soldier left Afghanistan at the end of Monday, leaving the country in the hands of the Taliban after longest war in American history, that ended in a humiliating defeat for the first world power and its western allies. US troops led a NATO coalition to oust the Taliban from power after the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States by the Al-Qaeda terror network.
So far, Francis made two appeals after the Sunday prayer of the Angelus on Afghanistan and in the last one, on August 29, he expressed his concern about the situation in the country and asked “to continue assisting those most in need”. Bergoglio also expressed his desire that “dialogue and solidarity achieve a peaceful coexistence in the country” and called on Christians to “intensify prayer and practice fasting.”
“I share the suffering of those who mourn for the people who have lost their lives in the suicide attacks last Thursday and those who seek help and protection,” Francis said at the conclusion of the Sunday prayer from Saint Peter’s Square. Two weeks ago, when the conflict in Afghanistan broke out with the takeover of Kabul by the Taliban, the pontiff asked that dialogue be opened so that the population can live in peace again.
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