Mounting Concerns for Afghan Christians Facing Expulsion in Tajikistan
Afghan Christians in Tajikistan are facing increasing uncertainty as reports emerge of potential deportations of refugees and asylum seekers by the Tajik government.
The aftermath of the decades-long conflict in Afghanistan, exacerbated by the chaotic US withdrawal in 2021, led to a mass exodus of Afghans. Between 2021 and 2022, an estimated 3.6 million Afghans sought refuge in neighboring countries such as Pakistan, Iran, and Tajikistan.
Despite their desperate circumstances, many Afghans have not been welcomed warmly. In the past year and a half, Pakistan has reportedly deported 845,000 Afghans. Similarly, Iran announced plans to deport four million Afghan migrants, with UN data indicating that 1.9 million have already been expelled from Iran and Pakistan in recent months.
According to Premier Christian News, Tajikistan might soon follow the footsteps of these neighboring countries.
Reports indicate that Tajik officials are informing Afghan refugees and asylum seekers that they must leave the country within a fortnight.
In the past 10 months, Tajikistan has deported 485 Afghans, among them 334 refugees or asylum seekers.
The Afghan Christian community in Tajikistan, though small, fears the prospect of returning to Taliban-controlled Afghanistan, describing such repatriation as potentially lethal.
An anonymous Afghan Christian leader wrote in a letter published by Premier Christian News, “We, a community of Afghan believers, now reside in Tajikistan. Yet our situation is uncertain and filled with fear and hope mingled together. Many conflicting reports surround us – some bring fleeting comfort, while others strike terror in our hearts.
“Some of us face the threat of forced return – a return not to safety, but for many, to the very mouth of death.”
The letter portrayed the Afghan Christian community as a “younger brother” in the global Christian family, appealing to the wider Christian community to hear their plight, pray, and advocate on their behalf.
It concluded with a plea: “Do not let the faith of these dear ones be crushed under the weight of exile and fear.”
This article was originally written by www.christiantoday.com
