An internally displaced Afghan woman washes clothes outside her shelter on the outskirts of Kabul, Afghanistan February 3, 2021. (Credit: Omar Sobhani, Reuters)
The Taliban have retaken 5 districts in Afghanistan’s eastern Nuristan province over the last 48 hours, just one of several indicators of a major Taliban surge against the UN-recognized Afghan government, as NATO forces continue to withdraw. It is estimated that the Taliban now controls or contests more than half of Afghanistan’s rural territory, as elements of the Afghan National Army (ANA) are abandoning or surrendering their forward operating bases with little or no resistance.
A recent United Nations Security Council report raised international alarm, describing the Taliban surge as an attempt, at least, to improve its position at the negotiating table after the NATO withdrawal, and at worst, the beginning of a campaign to overthrow the Afghani government and retake control of the nation. The Taliban came to power in 1996 after a civil war in Afghanistan, until it was ousted by an alliance of Western nations and Afghani tribes following the 9-11 attacks in 2001. US President Joe Biden has announced that all US forces will be withdrawn from Afghanistan by September 11 this year. So far, US-led Coalition leadership has confirmed that the drawdown is already over 30% complete, as bases, vehicles, weapons and other assets are handed over to the Afghan government and ANA forces.
The UN report also highlighted the ongoing relationship between the Taliban and al-Qaeda, which is still active along the Afghan-Pakistani frontier. After 20 years, al-Qaeda’s relationship with the Taliban is hidden from the public eye, but has been strengthened by intermarriage and common interests. So far, the Pentagon has only signaled its intention to continue limited air support on behalf of the ANA against al-Qaeda and other international terrorist organizations (such as ISIS) after the withdrawal.
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Global Catalytic Ministries (GCM), an FAI partner based in Iran, has been active in spreading its burgeoning discipleship movement beyond the borders of Iran into Afghanistan for years. The Wire recently spoke with one of GCM’s leaders in the Iranian underground church, who described a prophetic word given to GCM’s leader of Afghani outreach, who has overseen the formation of over 100 small house churches in the last two years. “The Lord told him that it’s going to get very dangerous, but [he] should stay [in Afghanistan]. It’s going to get worse, but do not leave, My Spirit will be poured out.” A female leader in GCM’s Afghan discipleship movement confirmed the worsening situation inside the country, but also gave encouraging news, as many Afghanis she has met are exhausted by decades of violence, and are willing in greater numbers than ever before to reconsider Islam.
We would ask the global Maranatha family to continue in prayer for the people of Afghanistan, as the US-led Coalition continues to withdraw, and as the Taliban continues its push to retake the country. Please pray that the Taliban offensive would fail and be turned back, and that ANA forces would be granted courage, wisdom and skill to stand their ground and confront their adversaries. But most of all, regardless of what’s happening in the natural realm, we pray that the Lord would grant the laborers He has sent into the harvest fields of Afghanistan to have victory in the spiritual realm, as they battle with weapons that are not carnal, but which have power to tear down strongholds, to trample snakes and scorpions, and to overcome all of the power of the enemy.
Maranatha.
