Pray for Afghanistan

For years, it seemed like Afghanistan’s nightmare under extremist rule might be over. Yet after the Taliban regained control, the nation was plunged back into a culture of fear, violence, and oppression. Interestingly, Afghanistan is considered a “crossroad of civilizations.” Girls and women lost most of their basic rights, the economy collapsed, and religious freedom–already scarce–disappeared almost entirely. Nestled between several influential nations — including Iran, Pakistan, and China — it’s where the Near East meets Central Asia and South Asia. It is completely landlocked and the landscape varies drastically; featuring arid deserts and lush, green valleys, and even the snow-capped mountains of the Hindu Kush Himalayan Region.

The Afghan people are fiercely independent, and for centuries, they failed to come together under unified leadership. Imperial conquests by foreign powers left its people vulnerable to their latest subjugators. In 1996, Muslim fundamentalist students formed the Taliban and seized control. They created a theocratic regime and imposed harsh Islamic law. Not long afterwards, notorious al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden found sanctuary in Afghanistan and promoted terrorism. When al-Qaeda attacked the United States in 2001, a U.S.-led military invasion of Afghanistan drove the Taliban and al-Qaeda terrorists into hiding. Twenty years of war followed, and a new Afghan administration established a constitution and democratically-elected government. However, after U.S. troops pulled out of the country in 2021, Taliban forces quickly reclaimed power, violently enforcing their strict and oppressive interpretation of Islamic law. The marketplace slowed to a trickle and a hunger crisis took its place

Christians and religious minorities continue to suffer intense persecution under the Taliban and other Muslim extremists. The overwhelming majority of the nation has never heard the Gospel. But more and more Afghans, disillusioned by the Taliban’s brand of Islam, are searching for truth. And many are finding hope and freedom in Jesus! Afghan believers are risking their lives to share their faith. Muslims and Taliban fighters are having miraculous visions and dreams, leading them to put their faith in Jesus. And Christian satellite television broadcasts and radio programs are still bringing the Gospel into this closed country. Amidst great persecution, there are perhaps several thousand believers in Afghanistan today!