Pope Francis described the events in Afghanistan over the past few decades as “tragic” during a meeting with members of the Afghan Community Association in Italy.
The Vatican News reported that Pope Francis strongly reaffirmed his stance, stating, “No one can invoke God’s name to foment contempt, hatred, and violence towards others.”
The Pope recalled the instability, warfare, internal divisions, and systematic violations of basic human rights that have plagued Afghanistan, forcing many into exile. He noted that Afghanistan’s ethnic diversity, which characterizes its society, is “sometimes used as a reason for discrimination and exclusion, if not outright persecution.”
“You have gone through a tragic time, with many wars,” Pope Francis told the Afghan Community Association.
The Pope also highlighted the critical situation on the borders with Pakistan, where many Afghans have sought refuge. He noted that the ethnic Pashtun minority, which is the majority ethnic group in Afghanistan, also endures abuse and discrimination.
According to Vatican News, the Pope encouraged the members of the Afghan network to continue their “noble endeavor to promote religious harmony,” striving “to overcome misunderstandings between different religions in order to build paths of trusting dialogue and peace.”
This comes as hundreds of thousands of Afghan citizens have sought to leave the country following the Taliban’s takeover. According to the International Organization for Migration, nearly eight million Afghan citizens have migrated since 2020, with almost one million of them heading to European nations.
