UN Report Details Horror for Minorities in Afghanistan at Hands of Jihadists But Leaves Out Suffering Christians

Recently, U.N. Special Rapporteur Richard Bennett returned from Afghanistan after his 11-day visit and provided an update on the situation on the ground. The Taliban have continued in their indifference to ongoing human rights abuses being carried out across the country, with many of the abuses committed by Taliban forces. While armed hostilities in many areas have ceased, reducing the overall casualties, there continue to be reprisal killings of Afghans. The Special Rapporteur reported that

[a]lthough the granting of the general amnesty to officials of the former Government and members of the security forces could be a first step toward reconciliation, he was alarmed about reports of ongoing extrajudicial and revenge killings of former members of the security forces and officials, and door-to-door searches.

The Taliban’s disregard for human life is seen in their disparate treatment of women. The freedoms won for women over the course of 20 years have all but disappeared over the last number of months. According to the U.N.:

The advancing erasure of women from public life was especially concerning . . . citing measures such as the suspension of girls’ secondary education, severe barriers to employment, enforcing a strict form of Hijab, or body covering, and limits on freedom of movement, association, and expression.

The attacks and abuses against marginalized peoples in Afghanistan are not limited solely to women. There have been

attacks on places of worship and schools in Kabul, Kunduz, and Balkh provinces, some of which have been claimed by the ISIS-K terrorist group. . . . [S]uch attacks, which specifically target members of the Hazara, Shia, and Sufi communities are becoming increasingly systematic in nature and reflect elements of an organizational policy, thus bearing hallmarks of crimes against humanity.

While the United Nations does acknowledge the perpetration of human rights abuses against Islamic sects and ethnic minorities, this report is painfully silent on the relentless persecution of the Christian minority in the country. As we reported earlier:

[T]he Taliban [are] going door to door looking for anyone who aided U.S. troops, as well as seeking Christians to kill and unmarried women to take captive. Christians are hiding in their homes fearing what the Taliban will do to them – a genocidal persecution. Our own contact with a team on the ground in Afghanistan confirmed that “men, women and children are subjugated, beaten, and executed for their beliefs that differ from the tyrannical Taliban.”

The Taliban’s human rights violations against women, minorities, and especially Christians continue to be prevalent and systematic. The Taliban have publicized their plans for “taking non-Muslim women and girls as sex slaves and forcing boys to serve as soldiers” as part of their efforts to unify the country under Islam.

The ACLJ continues to support persecuted Christians in Afghanistan, and we ask that you sign our petition to defend persecuted believers around the globe.