Afghanistan (MNN) — In Afghanistan, the Taliban government has shown more of its extremist side. They made news in late March when going back on a promise to let girls back in school.
But the terrorist group has made several other, smaller changes as well. For instance, male government workers must now wear a full beard or risk losing their jobs.
Nehemiah with FMI says this corresponds to the last time the Taliban ruled Afghanistan, from 1996 to 2001. “They were also told to ensure they prayed at the correct times. And if they don’t do this, they have to face the consequences. And they must wear local clothing, consisting of a long loose top, trousers, and a hat or a turban.”
The Taliban has also segregated Afghanistan’s parks, not allowing men and women to mix.
Taliban leadership
These rules all come down from the Taliban’s Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice.
More specifically, they arose from a recent three-day meeting among Taliban leaders, including supreme leader Haibatullah Akhundzada. Those who know this man say he does not care about international reactions to strict religious laws.
But the same ideology drives more violent practices as well. Nehemiah says, “The Taliban ordered villagers to marry off their daughters and widows to Taliban foot soldiers. All imams and mullahs in captured areas should provide the Taliban with a list of girls above 15 and widows under 45 to be married to Taliban fighters.”
Prayer requests
The Taliban truly believes Afghanistan will be a better place if people follow these strict religious rules. Ask God to change their hearts.
Nehemiah says the Taliban continues growing more extreme day by day. Ask God to strengthen Afghan Christians. “They don’t know when the Taliban is going to come and take their daughters or kill them.”
(Header photo courtesy of Erwin Lux, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons)
