Afghanistan (MNN) — Four Christian men have been killed in Afghanistan; not by the Taliban, but by ISIS.
An extended family was traveling to join a larger convoy trying to escape the country, reports Nehemiah with FMI. “ISIS asked them, ‘we have tape about you that you are no longer Muslims. So is it true that you are not Muslim?’ They said, Yes, we are not Muslims anymore. We are Christians.’ So the men of this family were killed at the spot. The children and women, they let them go.”
Nehemiah asked his contacts how they knew it was ISIS that committed the violence. “The family told them that they were holding the flag of ISIS and they were wearing black uniforms.”
ISIS vs Taliban
But ISIS doesn’t just target Christians. They claimed responsibility for the attack on the Kabul airport in the closing days of the evacuation. More recently, the group set off several explosives in the city of Jalalabad in the eastern part of the country. Those attacks killed and injured several people.
People who align with ISIS believe the Taliban isn’t extreme enough. Nehemiah says, “ISIS is everywhere. And when we talk about ISIS and the Taliban, I want to let you know that this is actually a group of people who have a specific mindset. It could be anyone who has that mindset.” Nehemiah says these two groups aren’t actively recruiting. People fall into one group or another based on their beliefs.
How to pray
Ask God to comfort the grieving women and children from this family.
Pray they and the rest of the convoy would escape Afghanistan and reach Pakistan safely. Nehemiah says, “Ask God to be a father to the fatherless children. Pray that he would bring messengers of hope to these children who would tell them about Jesus, who understands their suffering.”
The header photo shows Afghan Christian refugees who have safely arrived in Pakistan. (Photo courtesy of FMI)
