Afghanistan (MNN) — The Taliban’s supreme leader made his intentions clear last night on a special Eid al-Adha radio message.
Speaking from an unknown location, Mullah Hibatullah Akhundzada said:
“There will be no compromise on Islam. Today we are so free that we can implement the true orders of Islam. We will not accept any obstacle or global pressure.”
So far, Afghanistan’s de facto government only stays true to claims like these. In June 2022, the Taliban said it protects the religious and civil rights of all minorities in Afghanistan.
“Afghanistan is a very complex environment. The Taliban likes to claim many things,” The Voice of the Martyrs USA’s Todd Nettleton says.
“They (the Taliban) made many promises. One by one, they have broken almost all of [them.] It’s difficult to know – at what point would they start keeping promises?”
Last week, the Taliban performed another public execution, floggings, and amputations. The terrorists see capital punishment as a benchmark of their commitment to impose Sharia law.
The hypocrisy extends beyond religion. In 2020, the United States and the Taliban signed an agreement in Doha. The Taliban pledged to “send a clear message that those who pose a threat to the security of the United States and its allies have no place in Afghanistan.”
Today, al Qaeda operatives appointed to government positions by the Taliban do not attempt to conceal their identities:
Back in Afghanistan’s Kapisa province, [Qari] Baryal now posts Facebook videos showing his outreach to the local community as the Taliban government’s official representative.
Meanwhile, Afghans suffer as another food crisis looms.
Hibatullah Akhundzada poses for the camera in what is believed to be a 1990 passport photograph. Released by the Taliban, this is the only photo of Akhundzada in circulation, and has never been independently verified as authentic.
(Wikimedia Commons)
“The Taliban are fighters; they’re not governors. And now they are the people who need to keep the lights on, keep the water flowing, and make sure people have enough to eat,” Nettleton says.
“It’s not necessarily something they’re suited to.”
Help Afghan Christians through VOM USA. “VOM is helping ministries get the Gospel into Afghanistan in different ways – broadcasts, social media, other digital platforms,” Nettleton says.
“We also assist Christians inside the country, helping them survive in a chaotic environment. The economy is in shambles following the Taliban takeover.”
Ask the Lord to transform Taliban hearts. Only He can turn evil into good.
“Lord, work among the Taliban, draw them to yourselves, help them to meet Jesus in a real way,” Nettleton requests.
Header image depicts a Taliban member in Kabul, August 2022. (Wikimedia Commons)
