The Taliban have taken an American hostage after raiding the offices of the Swiss non-profit group in Afghanistan, which was allegedly promoting Christianity.

The International Assistance Mission (IAM), which is a part of the United Nations, confirmed on Friday that the Taliban detained an American worker along with 18 other people after storming its office in Ghor just 400 miles from Kabul.

Since the Taliban took control of the country in 2014, NGOs are a greater threat. The Taliban introduced harsh measures that banned Afghan women from completing the sixth grade, from working in public and from gaining employment.

The first raid resulted in the capture of three members, among them the American. Ten days later, the other 15 were also captured. They are held at an unidentified location in Kabul, the same place where President Joe Biden botched his 2021 Afghanistan withdrawal.

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In a press release, the International Assistance Mission stated that it was unaware of the circumstances leading to the incidents. It also said that they had not been informed of the reasons for the detentions of its staff. The well-being and safety of our colleagues is paramount for us. We are doing all we can to ensure their security and their rapid release.

Taliban officials claimed that the detainees had been taken into custody because they were “propagating or promoting Christianity”.

The State Department confirmed that it was aware of the capture by the Taliban of an American citizen, reinforcing their warning to U.S. citizens not to travel to Afghanistan due armed conflict and civil unrest. They also warned against terrorism, crime, and other forms criminality.

The State Department stated that travel to Afghanistan was unsafe in all areas, and there is a high risk of violence or kidnapping against U.S. citizenry. We have no more details to share for the time being.

The Christian-based nonprofit has been operating in Afghanistan for almost 60 years. It works to improve healthcare, community development, and education.