CAFOD prays for people of Afghanistan

In a statement today, CAFOD says: "We are shocked and gravely concerned by the Taliban takeover of the capital Kabul and apparent control over the vast majority of Afghanistan.

"The situation in Afghanistan is highly complex with decades of conflict that have taken a terrible toll on Afghan people, resulting in deaths, injuries and pushing families further into poverty.

"Your generosity and compassion have allowed us to stand together with communities in Afghanistan. CAFOD started working in Afghanistan in the late 1980s and a core part of our work has been to prioritise women's rights and support Afghani organisations committed to improving the lives of vulnerable and marginalised people, supporting them to earn a living.

"The UN estimates that 80 per cent of the Afghans forced to flee since the end of May are women and children now in desperate need of humanitarian aid - the basics of life: shelter, food, and clean water.

"It is a rapidly changing and uncertain situation, and we are doing everything possible to ensure the immediate wellbeing of local partners and the communities they serve.

"We are assessing how best to respond. Donations to our General Emergency Fund will enable us to act promptly when plans have been confirmed."

To make a donation to CAFOD's Emergency Response Funs see: https://cafod.org.uk/donations/direct-debit?_Amount=5&_Appeal=21906