“Danger until death” – five years on from Taliban takeover

This week marks five years since the Taliban seized power in Afghanistan. This Q&A explores how the life of many Afghan believers reflects the book of Acts, what you’re doing to support Afghan refugees in Central Asia, and how you can pray.

The Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan five years ago has had a seismic impact on the country and its Christians, with many believers forced from the country or further underground.

For anyone discovered as a believer, the consequences are unthinkable, as reflected in this Q&A with Adam*, Open Doors’ spokesperson for the region. But he also shares stories of how God is empowering our Afghan brothers and sisters, even as they walk through the valley of the shadow of death. It seems impossible to say, but the church in Afghanistan is very much still alive. As Jesus said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” (Matthew 19:26).

Thank you for keeping our Afghan family in your prayers, and please use this update to further inspire and inform your prayers.

What is the situation in Afghanistan now, five years since the Taliban resumed control of the country?

The situation is increasingly complicated and worsening daily. It is not a short or simple question. Words alone cannot give a full impression. It’s one thing to say it is bad and dangerous, but another to see the eyes of people who face death threats daily. Under Taliban control, you choose between life and death. You must decide who you are, who you want to be and whether you want a Christian or non-Christian name. You decide and you pay a price. It happens quickly. It is hard to grasp that such a way of life is possible on this earth in the 21st century.

What does Christianity typically look like in Afghanistan?

Before 15 August 2021, many people had the chance to hear about Jesus, to learn about the Christian faith, and to choose whether to follow Him. There is no church, as many would understand that word. Christian fellowship takes quiet and informal forms, shaped by the need for caution and safety.

What happens if someone starts believing in Jesus and it’s discovered?

If someone hears the good news, believes in Jesus and gives their heart to Him, there will be consequences and a price to pay.

If the state learns that you have changed your religion, persecution begins. For example, your property can immediately be given to your relatives – sometimes the same relatives who reported you. If you have no Muslim relatives, the state can take your property.

But this danger from the state is only the beginning – relatives, neighbours and especially the Taliban may persecute you. When someone’s faith becomes known, they may face severe pressure from family, community and authorities, including threats to their safety and livelihood.

People may come, beat you or kill you. The danger also depends on who you are. For adult men, it is one story; for girls, it is another. A girl can disappear, and although nobody may find her, people know what has happened – something no one would wish for themselves or their relatives.

What will happen to the girls?

It’s a heartbreaking story, because in most cases the girls are children of a family whose parents became Christians. They must follow the decision of their parents and that is costly.

Taliban men are constantly looking for wives. They’re kind of hunting for girls who are not married. If they know that a girl is a Christian, she will be kidnapped. She becomes a so-called ‘wife’ of a Taliban member and her role is to satisfy the warrior. They don’t care how long she lives, but that is her destiny until she dies. Even if they don’t know that she is a Christian, if she is not married, they will come and force her to marry them. Her future is one of abuse and likely murder.

What happens when Christians are discovered?

When a family becomes known as Christian, the consequences can be severe. One brother who is supported by our partners had accepted Jesus many years ago, but his story unfolded recently.

One night, the Taliban searched his home after local suspicion grew around the family’s faith, eventually leading to a violent confrontation. They stabbed him in the stomach. His son tried to protect him and they broke his fingers. They also pierced his wife’s hands several times, set fire to the fence around the home and warned him this was his last chance to change.

When our partners suggested he move somewhere safer, he wanted to stay so he could explain why he forgave the young men who had attacked his family and tell them about Jesus, salvation, life after death and forgiveness. After a few days, his wounds became infected, because there was not enough medical help. He received urgent care and later support to reduce immediate danger, though insecurity remains.

This is not a situation where one incident is overcome and safety follows. The danger remains until death. It’s one example of what it means to become a Christian family in Afghanistan today.

Yet there are also signs that Afghans are tired of the Taliban’s version of Islam. When families come to Christ, the younger generation often follows. In their questions and hunger for the Word of God and fellowship, you see a faith that has been tested at great cost. Their witness is encouraging, because it shows that God is still saving people and changing lives. The life of a Christian in Afghanistan can feel like the book of Acts: miracles, decisions for Christ despite danger, imprisonment, execution and people paying with their lives and the safety of their families for the name of Jesus Christ.

When I began this ministry, I wondered whether a Christian could remain secret and silent – pretending to be Muslim while living as a Christian and avoiding the price. I can say it is not possible.

One mother shared the good news she had heard with her husband, and he immediately divorced her and sent her away. She moved to another area, rented a very small place and lived alone. Even so, she praised God for the new life He had given her, saying she had found peace and a hope she would not trade for anything. Even when believers try to keep their faith private, it can become known through ordinary family or community interactions, creating serious risk.

How do we help Afghan Christians in Central Asia?

Through local partners, we support believers with discipleship, practical care and long-term resilience, helping communities endure hardship and grow in faith. Ultimately, it is about sharing life and seeing the pain of our brothers and sisters. If you feel their pain, you will pray for them, and that is the right motive for everything we do in the church.

How can we pray?

First, please pray for those who are suffering, especially those who have nobody to pray for them. We believe there is far more suffering than we know, because Christians in Afghanistan often do not share the details of their lives, even in the hardest situations.

Secondly, please pray for those paying the price or facing difficult decisions – not only that their pain would be removed, but that their souls would be strengthened and reassured in the faith.

Thirdly, please pray for all of us to be united as one body in Christ. There is one church, the body of Christ, and we all belong to it.

And finally, please pray that we would see both the pain of those who suffer and the glory of Jesus Christ, our God and Saviour.

How can we pray for Afghanistan?

Please pray for believers in Afghanistan who live under serious pressure and need wisdom, courage and protection.

Please pray for Afghanistan, for its people and for the government – that hearts would not be hardened, but would receive the good news of Jesus Christ as Saviour.

Please pray for all who support Afghans facing hardship, asking God to give them protection, wisdom and perseverance.

Please pray for courage, discernment and grace for those facing pressure and uncertainty.

“Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness, while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” (Acts 4:29-30)

*Name changed for security reasons