The fundamentalist authorities of Afghanistan today detained at least 21 staff members of the Swiss NGO International Assistance Mission (IAM) accused of being Christian missionaries, according to the European humanitarian organization.
According to IAM, the staff were detained at their office in Ghor, central Afghanistan, and taken to the capital Kabul.
The spokesman for the governor of Ghor province, Abdul Wahid Hamas Ghori, stated that 21 people had been arrested, including an American, the AFP news agency reported.
“Documents and sound recordings were obtained, which show that they suggested people join Christianity,” the spokesperson added, after specifying that the group had been investigated for months.
This is not the first time that members of the organization have been detained: on September 3, two Afghans and a member of the international team were detained in the organization’s office, and three days ago, another 15 Afghans were detained in those same premises, IAM said. .
The NGO denounced in a statement published today that it did not have, at the moment, “information on the nature of the accusations” against its staff.
“We cannot comment or speculate on this situation,” the organization said, adding that if charges are filed, they will “independently examine all evidence presented.”
On its website, IAM says it is founded on Christian values, but specifies that it does not provide help based on political or religious beliefs.
It has been present in Afghanistan since 1966, when it specialized in eye care, and then diversified into other areas of health and education.
Ten IAM doctors, eight of them foreigners, died in an attack in northern Afghanistan in 2010.
The Taliban leadership and an insurgent group claimed responsibility for the attack, claiming that the aid workers were “Christian missionaries” and “NATO spies.”
Since the Taliban returned to power in August 2021, several foreigners have been detained.
The Taliban, Muslim fundamentalists, imposed a strict interpretation of Islam.
In addition, they prohibited women and young girls from accessing schools, universities, parks or gyms, and from working for NGOs and United Nations agencies.
Source: Ambito
