The International Monetary Fund on Aug. 23 withheld $455 million in emergency COVID-19 relief funding from Afghanistan after the Taliban’s takeover of the country forced the organization to withhold its recognition of the Afghan government.
Afghanistan
Caritas Pakistan Plans for Humanitarian Crisis at Afghanistan Border
Caritas Pakistan has alerted its diocesan units bordering neighboring Afghanistan to help refugees fleeing the Taliban’s takeover of the country, reported ucanews.com. Thousands of Afghans have entered Pakistan via the Chaman border crossing, one of the most active trade and travel routes between the countries, according to media reports.
Caritas: ‘Wait and See’ How Taliban Affects Humanitarian Work in Afghanistan
As the Taliban reclaim power over Afghanistan, a question in the mind of many rank and file Catholics is how can they help. Yet the situation is still so convoluted, even Caritas Internationalis, the largest network of Catholic charities is grappling to answer the same question.
We All Seek a Peace That God Alone Can Give
This month, as we commemorate a quest for peace, we put out into the deep recesses of our own souls where sometimes personal peace becomes elusive to us. We seek a peace that God alone can give. As the old saying goes, however, peace must begin with us. And so, as we look towards the last weeks of August, when we have some time to relax and think more deeply, join me in prayer to see how we each can further the cause of peace in the world.
Caritas Italy, Jesuits Suspend Activities in Afghanistan
Caritas Italy announced the suspension of charitable activities in Afghanistan in the wake of the Taliban’s takeover of the country.
U.S. Bishops Urge Quick Action on Relocating Afghan Refugees
The U.S. bishops’ conference emphasized the need for the U.S. government to work quickly to achieve its goal of relocating 30,000 special immigrant visa applicants from Afghanistan because it’s a “monumental task that hangs in the balance.”
Archbishop Broglio Says Human Dignity of Afghan People ‘Must be Respected’
The “human dignity” of Afghanistan’s people “must be respected” amid the chaos in the country, the head of the U.S. Archdiocese for the Military Services said Aug. 17.
Catholic Agency Helps Resettle Afghan Translators Who Aided U.S. Forces
When U.S. service members were in a foreign land, unsure of the way and unable to speak the language, brave locals came to their assistance. Now, the Afghans who served as interpreters and guides for the U.S. military need help adjusting to a new country. Six diocesan Catholic Charities staffers have been working with the new arrivals at Fort Lee, including Hekmatullah Latifi, who came to the United States with his wife and children on a special immigrant visa in 2016.
Indian Jesuits Brace for Fallout After U.S. Military Leaves Afghanistan
Indian Jesuits in Afghanistan are not sure what is in store for them as the strife-torn nation slips into conflict as the United States winds down operations after almost 20 years of war.
U.S. Withdrawal From Afghanistan Could Lead to Civil War, Says Priest in Kabul
The biggest risk Afghanistan might face with a withdrawal of U.S. troops could be civil war, said the Italian priest in charge of the small Catholic community in Afghanistan.