10 Afghanistan
What does persecution look like in Afghanistan?
The international community has seen the scope of the Taliban’s brutal rule since the group took power in August 2021. In the years since, Afghanistan has at least had some level of political stability—but that stability has extended to crushing pressure and violence against minority groups. As far as the Taliban are concerned, there are no Christians in Afghanistan. Most house churches that existed before the Taliban (even if they had to be hidden) have been closed, as believers were forced to flee or go even further underground.
When the Taliban came to power, they did so with pledges to recognize more freedoms than in the past. But that hasn’t happened—if an Afghan’s Christian faith is discovered, it can be a death sentence, or they can be detained and tortured into giving information about fellow believers. The surrounding society and family structure has no space for religious freedom, and the government upholds this rigid stance. This means Christians—almost all of whom are converts from Islam—must keep their faith secret, or they may simply disappear.
Thousands of Afghan refugees live in countries bordering Afghanistan, often in poor conditions in camps for displaced people, and many Christians are among them.
What changed this year?
Unfortunately, little has changed in Afghanistan. The Taliban continue to hold the country and roll back any limited freedoms gained under Afghanistan’s previous governments. Many Afghans fled the country when the Taliban took over, going to neighboring countries. This year, Pakistan’s decision to deport up to 1.7 million unregistered Afghan refugees may have far-reaching consequences for Afghanistan, even if not all of the refugees will actually leave. Many Christians fled the country during the Taliban takeover; those who remain either couldn’t get out, or feel called to remain. This means there are fewer chances of fellowship than before, and the church has been driven underground even more than before. Christians—almost all of whom are converts from Islam—continue to practice their faith in secret. They know that if their faith is discovered, it will likely result in their oppression and even death. Even apart from the Taliban, families and tribes harshly punish any semblance of Christian faith. In short, followers of Jesus live under constant risk.
How can I pray?
- Pray secret believers will be protected from harm—and they would sense the prayers of their brothers and sisters around the world.
- Ask God to touch the hearts of the Taliban leaders, and any other extremist who would oppress Christians. Pray that God would reveal the truth of Jesus to every person who opposes Him.
- Pray for Afghan refugees. Many are in countries where it’s still difficult to follow Jesus—and difficult to make ends meet. Ask God to help refugees find relief, and for the surrounding countries to be open to letting refugees work, attend school and worship freely. Pray that refugees sent back to Afghanistan by Pakistan will be able to find support and will see the love of Jesus.