Christians around the world, especially in Africa, are reportedly in danger of more persecution as Islamic terrorists are "emboldened" by the efforts of the Taliban in Afghanistan.
The International Christian Concern cited the report of international persecution watchdog Open Doors USA, "2022 World Watch List," that ranked Afghanistan as the number one country in the world for Christian persecution.
Under its report on the Afghanistan, Open Doors USA highlighted the "Talibanization of West Africa And Beyond" that suggested the Taliban is inspiring Islamic extremists from different areas of the globe to expand violence against Christians.
"The fall of Kabul has fueled a new mood of invulnerability among other jihadist groups worldwide. The groups believe that they won't face serious opposition from the West for their expansionist agendas and are exploiting nations with weak or corrupt governments...Sub-Saharan Africa, already the place where violence against Christians is highest, has faced further steep rises in jihadist violence, with fears that a significant part of the region faces destabilization," Open Doors USA said.
Afghanistan overtook North Korea this year in the World Watch List, a listing that identifies areas that is difficult to live in as a Christian. The shift in ranking came after the Taliban took over the Afghanistan government in August last year, which was further strengthened by President Joe Biden ordering a withdrawal of American military forces from the country. Worst, the United States left behind military weaponry and equipment worth $83 billion that the Taliban seized.
"It is impossible to live openly as a Christian in Afghanistan. Leaving Islam is considered shameful, and Christian converts face dire consequences if their new faith is discovered. Either they must flee the country or they will be killed," Open Doors USA stressed. "This was true before the Taliban takeover: the situation has become even more dangerous for believers this year."
"For Christians, though, there were basically no freedoms to lose: Afghanistan had been No. 2 on the Open Doors World Watch List for several years, and Christian persecution remains extreme in all spheres of public and private life," it added. "The risk of discovery has increased, since the Taliban controls every aspect of government. This extends to owning documentation-including paperwork from international troops-that may help identify Christians."
The Taliban did not waste time in executing Christians as they have been known for in the world. Reports of the Taliban carrying out house to house executions surfaced in less than a month after the U.S. withdrew its forces in Afghanistan and evacuated allies and Americans. The Taliban held mass executions of Christians and amputated anyone who violated the Islamic Law.
These reports were then confirmed in October by the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom who reported a decline in religious liberty in Afghanistan. The USCIRF stressed that the Taliban implement a "harsh and strict interpretation of Islam" such that Christians "face grave threats in the current environment" they are in.
A church leader in Afghanistan, as early as August, have expressed fears that the Taliban is moving to "eliminate the Christian population of Afghanistan." In the same month, Israelis similarly expressed concern that the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan will lead to a potential rise of radical Islamism in the Middle East and nearby regions.
This was reported by journalist Joel Rosenberg during a guesting at "Huckabee." Rosenberg, who is both an American and Israeli citizen, spoke in behalf of Israeli's fears of the strengthening of radical Islamism.
"Israelis are terrified by what's just happened. They are watching a surrender of an American ally [and] the world's leading superpower. And as we face our main enemies--which is not Afghanistan but is the realm of radical Islamism, and particularly the Iranian regime--we are not seeing President Biden create confidence that he will stick with an ally. And we are being rattled by this. Everybody in the region--our Sunni Arab allies (and) Israel--is being rattled," Rosenberg said.
