Afghanistan (MNN) — At this time last year, Taliban forces were advancing steadily on Kabul, Afghanistan, after gaining territory all summer. Thousands of people were on the move, including Afghan Christians.
“Hundreds of Afghan Christians fled Afghanistan to Pakistan, Dubai, and Abu Dhabi. They don’t have much freedom in those countries, and the future is also unknown,” Voice of the Martyrs Canada partner Shoaib Ebadi says.
Today, believers who stayed behind face constant turmoil. “They are under daily threat; they live in danger,” Ebadi says.
“Fighting is ongoing, and we hear every day, ‘They (the Taliban) are attacking, they are killing civilians.’”
Listen to the entire conversation on VOM Canada’s podcast here.
(Photo courtesy of VOM Canada)
The United States’ chaotic withdrawal ended a 20-year war last August and left Afghanistan under Taliban rule. Last week, the United Nations released a report describing human rights abuses since the Taliban took over.
Additionally, nearly two-thirds of the population needs humanitarian assistance to survive. That total does not include survivors of the June 22 earthquake in eastern Afghanistan.
The Lord is helping His followers persevere in the world’s most dangerous place to be a Christian.
“In the midst of darkness, they’re trying to help others; they are trying to help the poor people,” Ebadi says.
“[From] the most conservative area of northern Afghanistan, believers call us and they say, ‘Hey, we are here; we worship together, we meet with other families.’”
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“The priority now is to find a secure place and food and water. [Those are] the basic needs for all people of Afghanistan, including thousands of Afghan Christians,” Ebadi says.
Header and story photos courtesy of VOM Canada.
