Since the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan in August 2021, Christians who remained in the country have had to live entirely out of sight. Before the second takeover, an estimated 12,000 believers lived in the country. Today, the Afghan Church exists only in secret pockets scattered across cities such as Kabul, where the level of surveillance and the presence of CCTV cameras make any gathering extremely dangerous. Afghanistan ranks 11th on the Open Doors World Watch List 2026, but experts believe the true extent of persecution is underestimated because the deaths and arrests of Christians rarely become public knowledge.
In May 2026, ICC (International Christian Concern) published a documentary account entitled "No Place Is Home", in which former Afghan Christians who have sought refuge in neighboring countries describe daily life for those who profess faith in Christ under the Taliban. Converts from Islam, who make up almost all Afghan Christians, face the risk of immediate death, often at the hands of their own relatives or radicalized members of the community, even before any legal proceedings begin. Converts' wives and children are also threatened.
Worship gatherings take place in tiny groups of two to four people, with no visible Bibles, no music and no outward sign of Christian activity. Partner organizations use codes and pseudonyms to stay in contact with believers inside the country. Biblical content is transmitted through radio and encrypted messaging apps. Despite everything, there are reports of new converts even under Taliban rule, evidence that the Holy Spirit is at work where no missionary can safely go.
Pray for every Afghan Christian who wakes up each day knowing that their faith could cost them their life. Intercede so that spiritual resources, including radio, digital media and Scripture, will reach isolated believers. Ask the Lord to raise up intercessors specifically for Afghanistan, and that the global Church will not forget the brothers and sisters living in the Taliban's shadow. Pray also that the country's fighters and Islamic religious leaders themselves will encounter Jesus in dreams and visions, as has been reported in neighboring countries.
