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A30 world news
Dialuna 5 Juli 2021

Pope Francis hospitalized for planned intestinal surgery

A week earlier, Francis had Francis is in generally good of State Antony Blinken.
used his same Sunday ap- health, but did have part of Throughout all those en-
pearance to ask the public for one lung removed as a young gagements, Francis appeared
special prayers for himself, man. He also suffers from to be in good spirits.
which, in hindsight, might sciatica, in which a nerve af-
have hinted at the planned fects the lower back and leg, Get-well wishes began arriv-
surgery. a painful condition that has ing immediately for Francis.
forced him at times to skip Italian President Sergio Mat-
“I ask you to pray for the scheduled appearances. tarella, as soon as h landed
pope, pray in a special way,” in Paris for a state visit in
Francis had asked the faith- A 10th-floor papal suite is France, offered an “affection-
ful in the square on June kept available at the hospital ate thought” on behalf of all
27. “The pope needs your in case of need. Italians. Mattarella added
prayers,” he said, adding his that he was wishing for “a
thanks and saying “I know While Church law provides good convalescence and even
you will do that.” for a prelate to take over the a speedier recovery” for the
(AP) — Pope Francis was update when the surgery is administration of the Ro- pope.
hospitalized in Rome complete. But the Vatican in- A diverticulum is pouch- man Catholic Church if a
on Sunday afternoon for dicated later that the surgery like protrusion through the pope dies, there is no known Gemelli doctors have per-
scheduled surgery on his would be the same day. muscular wall of the intes- provision for a delegation of formed surgery before on
large intestine, the Vatican tine. When diverticula be- powers if a pope is temporar- popes, notably Pope John
said. The news came just It was the pope’s first known come inflamed — a com- ily incapacitated, such while Paul II, who had what the
three hours after Francis hospital treatment since he mon condition, especially in under anesthesia. Vatican said was a benign tu-
had cheerfully greeted was elected to the papacy in older people — a narrowing mor in his colon removed in
the public in St. Peter’s 2013. of that part of the intestine The pope had a particularly 1992. John Paul had several
Square and told them he can sometimes occur, and demanding set of appoint- other surgeries at the hospi-
will go to Hungary and The Vatican said the 84-year- surgery might be required, ments last week, including tal, including after being shot
Slovakia in September. old pope had been diagnosed according to gastroenterolo- celebrating a Mass on Tues- by a gunman in St. Peter’s
with “symptomatic diver- gists. Such surgery can be day to mark the Catholic Square in 1981.
The brief statement from the ticular stenosis of the colon,” performed under general an- feast day honoring Saints Pe-
Holy See’s press office didn’t a reference to a narrowing in esthesia, possibly with a lapa- ter and Paul, and later in the John Paul also had several
say exactly when the surgery the large intestine. The sur- roscopic intervention. Some- week, presiding at a special medical issues in his final
would be performed at Ge- gery was to be performed by times a resectioning of the prayer service for Lebanon. years, including severe com-
melli Polyclinic, a Catholic Dr. Sergio Alfieri, the direc- affected part of the intestine On June 28, he also had a plications from Parkinson’s
teaching hospital, only that tor of Gemelli’s digestive is needed. long private audience at the disease, and had numerous
there would be a medical surgery department. Vatican with U.S. Secretary stays at Gemelli.

Taliban take districts in NE Afghanistan from fleeing troops

(AP) — The Taliban’s march The areas under Taliban control in Jamiat-e-Islami, which was the party
through northern Afghanistan The gains in northeastern Badakh- the north are increasingly strategic, of famed anti-Taliban fighter Ahmad
gained momentum overnight shan province in recent days have running along Afghanistan’s border Shah Massoud, killed by a suicide
with the capture of several dis- mostly come to the insurgent move- with central Asian states. Last month bomber two days before the 9/11 at-
tricts from fleeing Afghan forces, ment without a fight, said Mohib-ul the religious movement took control tacks in America.
several hundred of whom fled Rahman, a provincial council mem- of Imam Sahib, a town in Kunduz
across the border into Tajikistan, ber. He blamed Taliban successes on province opposite Uzbekistan and The Interior Ministry issued a state-
officials said Sunday. the poor morale of troops who are gained control of a key trade route. ment Saturday saying the defeats
mostly outnumbered and without re- were temporary although it was not
More than 300 Afghan military per- supplies. The inroads in Badakhshan are clear how they would regain control.
sonnel crossed from Afghanistan’s particularly significant as it is the
Badakhshan province as Taliban “Unfortunately, the majority of the home province of former President Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Muja-
fighters advanced toward the border, districts were left to Taliban without Burhanuddin Rabbani, who was hid confirmed the fall of the districts
Tajikistan’s State Committee for Na- any fight,” said Rahman. In the last killed by a suicide bomber in 2011. and said most were without a fight.
tional Security said in a statement. three days, 10 districts fell to Taliban, His son, Salahuddin Rabbani, is part The Taliban in previous surrenders
The Afghan troops crossed over at eight without a fight, he said. of the current High Council for Na- have shown video of Afghan soldiers
about 6:30 p.m. local time Saturday tional Reconciliation. The slain for- taking transportation money and re-
Hundreds of Afghan army, police and mer president also led Afghanistan’s turning to their homes.
“Guided by the principles of human- intelligence troops surrendered their
ism and good neighborliness,” the military outposts and fled to the Ba-
Tajik authorities allowed the retreat- dakhshan provincial capital of Faiz-
ing Afghan National Defense and Se- abad, said Rahman.
curity Forces to cross into Tajikistan,
said the statement Even as a security meeting was be-
ing held early Sunday to plot the
Since mid-April, when U.S. Presi- strengthening of the perimeter
dent Joe Biden announced the end to around the capital, some senior pro-
Afghanistan’s “forever war,” the Tal- vincial officials were leaving Faizabad
iban have made strides throughout for the capital Kabul, he said.
the country. But their most significant
gains have been in the northern half In late June the Afghan government
of the country, a traditional strong- resurrected militias with a reputation
hold of the U.S.-allied warlords who of brutal violence to support the be-
helped defeat them in 2001. leaguered Afghan forces but Rahman
said many of the militias in the Ba-
The Taliban now control roughly a dakhshan districts put up only a half-
third of all 421 districts and district hearted fight.
centers in Afghanistan.