The Vatican has expressed its closeness and solidarity with the people of Afghanistan following the 6.1 magnitude earthquake that struck the country on 7 October 2023. Pope Francis, in his general audience on Wednesday, 11 October, said he “expresses his closeness to those injured and affected by the earthquake and prays in particular for those who have lost their lives and for their families”. In addition, the Vatican has announced that the Holy See is working to provide humanitarian aid to those affected by the disaster.

The earthquake, which had its epicentre in the Paktika province of south-eastern Afghanistan, killed more than 2,000 people and injured thousands. The affected areas are difficult to access, which has made it difficult for humanitarian aid to reach them.

The Holy See has sent a team of experts from Caritas Internationalis, the Catholic Church’s charitable organisation, to assess the needs of the victims and coordinate aid. Caritas Internationalis is already working in the area to provide food, water, shelter, and medical care.

In addition, the Vatican has appealed to the international community to provide humanitarian aid to Afghanistan. Vatican Secretary of State Pietro Parolin said, “It is a tragedy that affects people who are already suffering so much”.

The Afghanistan earthquake is the latest in a series of recent disasters to hit the country. In 2021, Afghanistan was hit by a drought that caused a severe food crisis. In 2022, the country was hit by a series of floods that caused extensive damage to infrastructure and housing.

The Vatican has expressed concern about the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan. Pope Francis has said that “war, violence and poverty are the main causes of the tragedies affecting this people”.