Pope Francis Calls for Ending Violence After Deadly Attacks in Norway, Afghanistan, and UK
13:36 GMT 17.10.2021 (Updated: 13:46 GMT 17.10.2021)
© AFP 2023 / ANDREAS SOLARO
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VATICAN CITY (Sputnik) - Pope Francis called for "abandoning the path of violence" during his traditional Sunday address to believers from the window of the Apostolic Palace at the Vatican in the wake of deadly attacks in Norway, Afghanistan, and the United Kingdom this week.
"Last week, various attacks took place in Norway, Afghanistan, England, that caused numerous deaths and wounded many. I express my nearness to the families of the victims. I beg you to please abandon the path of violence that is always a losing cause and is a defeat for everyone. Let us recall that violence begets violence", the pontiff said, as quoted by the Holy See.
On Wednesday evening, a man shot arrows at people in the Norwegian town of Kongsberg, killing five and wounding several more. The shooter was soon arrested by the police and was identified as a 37-year-old Dane living locally, who had previously converted to Islam. The Norwegian police later said that the perpetrator, Espen Andersen Braathen, was suffering from a mental illness that apparently drove him to attack people. He admitted to his crimes and is willing to cooperate with the investigation.
Another attack took place in Afghanistan on Friday when a bombing hit a Shia mosque in the city of Kandahar. Three suicide bombers set off the blast, while a fourth attacker opened fire at the mosque building. The explosion killed 63 people and injured 83 others, a source in a local hospital told Sputnik. The Daesh* terror group has claimed responsibility for the attack.
Demonstrators clash with police officers during a protest against the government's introduction of the "Green Pass" near Chigi Palace in Rome, Italy, October 9, 2021.
© REUTERS / REMO CASILLI
On the same day, UK Conservative lawmaker David Amess was stabbed to death in an attack that is being treated as a terrorist incident by police. The 69-year-old died while at his constituency surgery in the Belfairs Methodist Church in the town of Leigh-on-Sea in Essex. Following the attack, the Essex Police said a 25-year-old UK citizen was arrested at the scene on suspicion of murder.
*Daesh (also known as ISIS/ISIL/IS) is a terrorist organisation outlawed in Russia and many other states.
