11/11/2021 Afghanistan (International Christian Concern) – The National Security Advisors of India, Russia, Iran, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and Kyrgyzstan met in Dehli on Wednesday and expressed concern over the worsening situation in Afghanistan. The group emphasized that assistance should be made available to Afghanistan in an “unimpeded, direct, and assured manner.”
The advisors called for cooperation against radicalization, extremism, and drug trafficking amidst the instability in Afghanistan, impressing that the country should not be used for terrorist attacks. Additionally, the coalition urged the Taliban government to be inclusive with representation from, “major ethnopolitical forces.”
The group gathered at a time when the Afghan economy is spiraling out of control with surging food prices and various other troubles. Over half of Afghanistan’s population is facing severe hunger, and the region is quickly developing a major humanitarian crisis. The Afghan economy was largely (80%) inflated by foreign aid that dried up as the United States pulled out of the 20-year war with the Taliban.
The Delhi gathering also had a range of agreements on human rights issues, including “emphasizing the importance of ensuring that the fundamental rights of women, children, ad minority communities are not violated.”
Christians continue to face extreme danger from the Taliban, who consider them apostates under their extreme version of Islam and thus subject to the deadliest punishments for choosing to follow Jesus. The Taliban has a history of violent oppression against all who disagree with their brand of Islam or refuse to follow their dictates. Christians and other religious minorities have suffered greatly under the Taliban in the past, causing much worry about a tumultuous future.
Christians are a significant minority community in Afghanistan, numbering roughly 8,000 to 12,000 people, comprised of converts from Islam who are a part of a loose network of house churches throughout the country.
The international community must continue to press the Taliban on these fundamental threats to human rights in Afghanistan and hold them accountable for their violations.
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