The speed with which Taliban forces took control of Afghanistan after the withdrawal of American and NATO forces from the country shocked the international community, Christian Today reported.

An Afghan church leader says Christians are living in fear. No wonder, as the country is currently

anyone identified as Christian is to be executed.

A local source in the Release confirmed that women in Taliban-held areas are not allowed to go to school or even leave their homes without a male escort.

According to Release, persecution against Christians was already increasing even before the Taliban takeover, with the church forced underground due to stringent apostasy laws which make converting from Islam punishable by death or imprisonment. 

In recent times, Christian workers coming into the country from abroad have simply been killed.

It is reported that Christians have basically been unable to find well-paid work, or only in very exceptional cases, and they have no chance of escape.

“The Taliban’s swift advance can only embolden extremists”

-said Paul Robinson, CEO of Release International.

Hungarian Secretary of State Azbej Tristan warned that

“after 20 years, the country is back in the hands of the Taliban insurgents. Millions have been displaced, a humanitarian crisis is clearly looming.”

He added: “Our principle is the same as always: refugees should be assisted in the safest place closest to their homeland, not sent on a journey to Europe.”

(Vasarnap.hu)

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Featured image: U.S. Army soldiers pray on September 11, 2011 during a protestant service at Bagram Air Field, Afghanistan. Ten years after the 9/11 attacks in the United States and after almost a decade war in Afghanistan, American soldiers gathered for church services in prayer and solemn observence of the tragic day. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)