AFGHANISTAN – Christian charity Release International has issued an urgent call to pray for the underground church in Afghanistan as the persecution of Christians in the region is set to rise following the return of the Taliban regime.

A Christian contact of one Release International partner describes the situation as ‘dire.’ Says ‘Micah’: ‘Our brothers and sisters in Christ are telling us how afraid they are. In the areas that the Taliban now control girls are not allowed to go to school and women are not allowed to leave their homes without a male companion.’

The church in Afghanistan already faced sharp persecution, even before the Taliban advance. That church is invisible and must operate underground in this land where Muslims who change their faith are breaking the law and considered to have betrayed their communities.

As the Taliban tighten their grip on Afghanistan, Christian charity Release International warns attacks on Christians are likely to rise across the region.

One church leader in Afghanistan said Christians were living in great fear for their lives.
Release International’s Andrew Boyd has more.

Andrew Boyd, Release International:

The church is hidden, the church is underground, the church is at risk. And what we need to be doing is praying for those Christians in Afghanistan who have either fled or are trying to flee and you can be sure there are some who are trying to do that at the moment or who find it impossible to flee because the Christians are often poor. They don’t have resources to do that. We also need to pray that the underground house fellowships that have been established in Afghanistan will be able to continue. We know that the Christians there are faithful. We know that they are courageous because it’s a church that’s lived underground now for years. They’re a church that is ready to face persecution and we need to stand with them in that.

And Release International partners are providing radio broadcasts and follow-up to train new believers to help them face this ongoing persecution in Afghanistan.

Read more news on Faith Based Organizations, Christian Persecution, and Afghanistan.