This strategic country, sandwiched between the Middle East, Asia and the former Soviet Bloc, has been a war zone for thousands of years.

For five years the Taliban, an extremist Islamic group, controlled 90% of the country and allowed Afghanistan to become a hiding place for terrorists. The afghani links to the attacks on the USA’s World Trade Center prompted the US bombing campaign to end the Taliban regime. The invasion has brought immeasurable suffering and hardship to a country already so damaged by war.

In 2005 the new democratic government was formed and a new constitution was agreed. The constitution pledges to uphold the International Charter of Human Rights which advocates religious freedom. While there has been a more openness in Kabul, Afghanistan has remained a strictly Islamic, closed country. 33 Foreign aid workers who were suspected of sharing the gospel have been killed and local Christians accused of following Jesus have been brutally murdered by Islamic extremists and made an example of.

20 years of war has shattered the lives of almost anyone in Afghanistan and left 4 million children orphaned. 12 million uncleared mines still litter the land.

80-90% of the heroin consumed in Europe comes from Afghan opium.

Thank God for his protection of Christians working in such a harsh environment and for the greater openness of many Afghanis to the gospel.

Also thank Him for the return of 2.3 million refugees to the country.

The new government has a challenging time ahead. Pray for God’s wisdom in the decisions they make and courage to practically uphold their agreement to the Human Rights Charter.

Afghanistan's living standards are among the lowest in the world. Much of the population continues to suffer from shortages of housing, clean water, electricity, medical care, and jobs, but the Afghan government and international donors remain committed to improving access to these basic necessities by prioritizing infrastructure development, education, housing development, jobs programs, and economic reform over the next year.

Pray that God will bring a lasting peace and justice to Afghanistan.

Under the Taliban regime women in Afghanistan were denied basic human rights and suffered cruelly at the hands of men. Pray that promised freedom will be a reality for women in Afghanistan.

Afghanistan is one of the least reached countries in the world. There are an amazing 48,000 mosques. Under Taliban rule the death penalty was imposed for anyone converting from Islam. Pray that this will not continue unofficially.

Approximately half the population are ‘Pashtuns’ – the largest Muslim tribal society in the world. There are 27 million Pashtuns living in Afghanistan and neighbouring Pakistan. Pray that those working with the Pashtuns will be encouraged and that they have breakthrough.