An Italian news outlet has reported that Pope Francis opened a line of communication between the Vatican and the Taliban. While the Vatican has neither confirmed nor denied the report, its existence could help thousands of refugees safely evacuate Afghanistan.
According to Crux Now, the Italian publication Il Tempo reported:
The report goes on to claim that the Vatican is using Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan as an intermediary. The discussions would address the humanitarian crisis that has resulted from the Taliban’s new rise to power. The Vatican would urge an end to religious persecution while seeking safe passage for fleeing refugees.
The move would answer Pope Francis’ August 15 call for a dialogue to end the conflict in Afghanistan. The pope spoke on the issue as Taliban insurgents were swarming through the Afghan capital, Kabul. Reuters reports, Pope Francis told those in attendance at St. Peter’s Square:
The situation in Afghanistan is even preventing Catholic Charities from mobilizing an aid effort. Even Caritas, one of the largest international networks of Catholic Charities, has adopted a “wait and see” approach. Crux Now spoke with Aloysius John, head of Caritas, who noted that at the moment, there is no guarantee that NGOs can help. He said:
