The Afghan Catholic family is still waiting at Kabul airport.

Newsroom (22/08/2021 17:30, Gaudium Press) An Afghan Christian refugee whose parents were killed by the Taliban in the 1990s is appealing to Pope Francis to help a Catholic family still in Kabul airport.

“I ask, please, both the Holy See and the Italian authorities to immediately save this Christian family, who are still at the airport,” Ali Ehsani told CNA on August 19.

“As a Christian, I have suffered in Afghanistan. I know how difficult the suffering is,” he stressed. “My parents were killed by the Taliban.”

Ehsani, who currently lives in Rome, hopes to meet the Pope and make his appeal in person.

Being a Christian in Afghanistan

This Catholic family, which needs help, consists of five children and their mother. The father disappeared last week. The family fears that his disappearance is linked to his Christian identity amid reports that the Taliban have been going door to door to find Christians.

Living in a Christian community has been particularly difficult in Afghanistan because most families are forced to keep their religion secret so as not to put their lives at risk.

Despite Ehsani’s father’s precautions, the Taliban discovered the family’s identity. “When they found out we were Christians, unfortunately, my parents were killed,” he said.

Afghanistan is a country with 99% of the population Muslim, with the majority being Sunni. There are small groups of Christians, including about 200 Catholics, as well as Buddhists, Hindus and Baháʼís.

Afghanistan’s Christian community consists mainly of converts from Islam and is the largest religious minority group in the country.

Due to persecution, the Christian community remains largely closed and hidden from the public.

Since August 20, the Catholic family, with whom Ehsani is in contact, has been waiting at Kabul airport.

Italian authorities have advised him to keep the family’s identity anonymous in the media for his own safety.

With information from CNA.