The Persecution Of Afghan Christians: Surviving Under Taliban Rule

Since the Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan in 2021, there have been concerns about the safety of religious minorities in the country, including Christians. While there is no evidence to support claims that the Taliban has sentenced Christian missionaries to death, the group has historically persecuted Christians, and there are reports that this persecution is ongoing. The Taliban falsely claims that there are no Christians left in Afghanistan, but it is estimated that there are thousands of Christians in the country, mostly converts from Islam. Christians in Afghanistan face the threat of death, detention, and torture if their faith is discovered, and many have been forced to keep their religious beliefs hidden or flee the country.

The Taliban has killed Christians in the past

Christians have historically comprised a small community in Afghanistan. The total number of Christians in Afghanistan is estimated to be between 10,000 and 20,000, with almost all Afghan Christians being converts from Islam. After the Taliban retook control of the country in 2021, the USCIRF warned that Christians in the country were in "extreme danger". Christians have been persecuted under the Taliban regime, and there is a history of the Taliban killing Christians.

In 2008, Gayle Williams, an aid worker of joint British and South African nationality, was shot and killed by the Taliban. A spokesman for the Taliban claimed responsibility for her death, stating that she had been killed for preaching Christianity in Afghanistan. In 2010, an Afghan Red Cross worker, Said Musa, was sentenced to death for converting to Christianity.

The Taliban has a history of persecuting Christians, and there are concerns that the new Taliban regime could be more aggressive in its persecution of religious minorities. Christians in Afghanistan are becoming increasingly difficult to track down, as they are turning off their phones and going into hiding out of fear of persecution and violence. There are reports that the Taliban is already conducting targeted killings of Christians and executing anyone found with Bible software installed on their cell phones.

Christians in Afghanistan are forced to practice their faith in secret

When the Taliban took control of the country in August 2021, the USCIRF warned that Christians in Afghanistan were in "extreme danger". The Taliban falsely claim that there are "no Christians" in the country, and there have been accounts of them going door-to-door seeking out Afghans who practice other faiths. Christians in Afghanistan have reported receiving threatening phone calls and letters, and some have been detained and tortured into giving information about their fellow believers.

Despite the risks, the Christian community in Afghanistan has been growing and emboldened since the fall of the Taliban in 2001, partly due to the security provided by the US presence in the country. However, since the US withdrawal and the Taliban's return to power, many Christians have fled the country, and those who remain have gone into hiding. They know that if their faith is discovered, it could result in their oppression or death.

Christians in Afghanistan face threats not only from the Taliban but also from their own families, communities, and neighbours. The surrounding society and family structure has no space for religious freedom, and the government upholds this rigid stance. This means Christians must keep their faith secret, or they may simply disappear.

Christians are being targeted by the Taliban for using public transportation

Christians in Afghanistan are facing extreme danger as the Taliban regime continues to target them for their faith. With the Taliban's return to power, the group has been carrying out door-to-door manhunts and using hit lists to identify and kill Christians. They are also checking mobile devices for any Christian material, including Bible apps.

The Taliban's hatred for Christians is well-known, and they have a history of persecuting Christians under their regime. This has led to Christians turning off their phones and going into hiding, making it difficult for governments to locate and rescue them. The Taliban is also known to be tracking down known Christians and sending threatening messages, further endangering the lives of this religious minority.

One of the ways the Taliban is targeting Christians is by pulling them off public transportation and killing them on the spot if they are found to be Christians or ethnically "unpure." This has caused fear among Christians, who are now avoiding public transportation and fleeing to the mountains to seek asylum.

The Taliban's actions have severe consequences for Christians in Afghanistan, who are mostly converts from Islam. Conversion is considered a crime punishable by death under Sharia Law, and the Taliban has a history of killing, imprisoning, and torturing Christians. As a result, Christians are forced to keep their faith secret, and those who are unable to leave the country are in constant fear of being targeted.

The situation is dire, and with the lack of a clear plan from the United States to evacuate those under special threat, Christians in Afghanistan are stranded and at risk of being targeted by the Taliban for using public transportation or any other reason.

Christians are being targeted by the Taliban for having Bible software on their phones

Christians in Afghanistan are facing extreme danger as the Taliban goes door-to-door in search of them. The Taliban has a hit list of known Christians they are targeting for persecution and death. With the US Embassy defunct, believers have no safe place to take refuge. People are fleeing into the mountains in search of asylum, relying solely on God for protection. The Taliban is also taking women and children, with girls over 12 years old and married women over 25 years old being taken and sold into sex slavery. Husbands and fathers have given their wives and daughters guns, leaving them with the choice to kill themselves or be killed by the Taliban.

In addition to these atrocities, the Taliban is searching people's phones for Bible apps. According to Dr Rex Rogers, president of the Christian nonprofit organisation SAT-7 North America, "We're hearing from reliable sources that the Taliban demand people's phones, and if they find a downloaded Bible on your device, they will kill you immediately... It's incredibly dangerous right now for Afghans to have anything Christian on their phones. The Taliban have spies and informants everywhere."

The situation is dire for Christians in Afghanistan, with many going into hiding and turning off their phones to avoid detection. They are stranded without a clear plan from the US or other countries to evacuate them to safety. The memories of public executions, floggings, and amputations of Christians and other religious minorities under the Taliban's previous rule are still vivid, and the fear of being found and persecuted is very real.

While there have been some false claims circulating on social media about Taliban persecution of Christians, there is evidence that the Taliban is indeed targeting Christians for having Bible software on their phones. This is in line with the Taliban's strict enforcement of Sharia Law, which considers conversion from Islam a crime punishable by death. The complete Bible is available online in Pashto, and Afghan Christians have been able to access it secretly. However, with the Taliban's spies and informants everywhere, having such material on their phones puts Christians at immense risk of being found and killed.

The Taliban's crackdown on Christians underscores the group's intolerance of religious minorities and its commitment to imposing Islamic law on the country. The Christian community in Afghanistan, estimated to number between 10,000 and 20,000, is largely made up of converts from Islam, who have long practised their faith underground due to societal restrictions and the threat of death. With the Taliban now in control, these Christians are facing even greater danger and are desperately seeking ways to escape persecution.

Christians in Afghanistan are being threatened by the Taliban

Christians in Afghanistan are facing threats to their lives and freedom under the Taliban regime. The Taliban has a history of persecuting Christians, and there are concerns that the new Taliban-controlled government will infringe upon religious minorities' human rights. While there is no evidence to support claims that the Taliban has sentenced 229 Christian missionaries to death, the group has killed Christians in the past.

The Taliban's return to power in Afghanistan has led to a sense of fear and uncertainty among the country's Christian population, estimated to be between 10,000 and 20,000 people, mostly converts from Islam. Conversion from Islam is considered a crime punishable by death under Sharia Law, and Christians in Afghanistan have historically practised their faith in secret to avoid persecution. With the Taliban's takeover, many Christians have turned off their phones and gone into hiding, fearing for their lives. Some have received threatening messages saying, "We know where you are and what you are doing."

The situation is especially dire for Christian women and children. Being a woman in Afghanistan can be dangerous, and the combination of being a woman and a Christian creates an incredibly challenging situation. The Taliban has publicized plans to "eradicate the ignorance of irreligion" by taking non-Muslim women and girls as sex slaves and forcing boys to become soldiers. Christian parents fear for their children's safety and well-being under Taliban rule.

The Taliban falsely claims that there are "no Christians" left in Afghanistan, but this is contradicted by reports of Christians going into hiding and fleeing the country. Many Christians who remained in Afghanistan after the Taliban takeover in 2021 have been forced to live, work, and identify as Muslims to avoid persecution. Those who have fled are living in poor conditions in refugee camps in neighbouring countries. The Taliban's denial of the presence of Christians in Afghanistan further complicates rescue and evacuation efforts by foreign governments.

The future looks bleak for Christians in Afghanistan. The Taliban's sweep into power has left religious minorities stranded and struggling to find a way out. With the memories of public executions, floggings, and amputations of Christians under the previous Taliban rule still fresh, Christians fear for their lives and are desperate to escape the country. However, without clear plans from foreign governments for evacuating vulnerable minorities, the options for Afghan Christians appear limited.

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