KABUL, Afghanistan — Afghanistan's hard-line Islamic rulers closed the offices of two Christian aid organizations Friday — less than a month after shutting down a German-based group and arresting its staff for allegedly preaching Christianity.
No arrests were made Friday, but foreign employees of the two groups were ordered to leave the country within 72 hours. None were available for comment.
The closures did not come as a surprise. Earlier, the Taliban warned that their investigation into allegations of proselytizing by the Germany-based Shelter Now International had been expanded to include at least three other foreign aid groups. It suspects these groups of having links to Shelter Now and of using aid to lure poor Afghans to Christianity.
It was not clear whether Friday's closures of the offices of U.S.-based International Assistance Mission and SERVE mean the Taliban have complete their investigation. It's also not known what evidence the Taliban found of proselytizing by these organizations.
Armed Taliban members on Friday took over the offices of the International Assistance Mission, which employs about 50 mostly American expatriate workers and runs two eye hospitals and several clinics.
The group came to Afghanistan in 1965 and operates only in this war-devastated nation. According to other aid workers, IAM has assistance programs throughout Afghanistan, including food and home reconstruction projects.
Tim Mindling, an American and IAM acting chief and health coordinator, was apparently questioned by Taliban authorities until 4 a.m. Friday. He and all other expatriate workers in his organization were given 72 hours to leave Afghanistan, a Taliban official said on condition of anonymity.
"No one is left here. We are not allowed to let any foreigners in here," a guard outside the IAM office said. He declined to be identified but said he was with Taliban security.
The aviation wing of IAM, called PACTEC or Partners in Aviation and Communications Technology, also closed its offices in Kabul. The single-engine aircraft of PACTEC was used to fly aid workers around the country.
Six foreign workers of PACTEC left the Afghan capital early Friday saying "it is too dangerous to remain," according to the guard outside their high-walled compound. He did not want to give his name.
The group's building was sealed and empty of foreigners.
The IAM expatriates, all volunteers, lived in Afghanistan with their families. They lived in some of the poorest neighborhoods, without electricity or running water. Most of them spoke Pashtu and Persian, the languages of Afghanistan.
They were known as a missionary organization.
"It will be a big loss in terms of assistance for Afghans," said one foreign aid worker who didn't want to be identified by name or organization.
The Taliban also closed SERVE, an international Christian aid organization that provides solar-heated appliances, like ovens. It also runs projects related to shelter and health.
There was only one foreign worker in Afghanistan with SERVE, which also works with Afghan refugees in neighboring Pakistan.
Like Shelter Now International, SERVE also was accused in the early 1990s of trying to convert Afghan refugees to Christianity in refugee camps in Pakistan. They denied the charges.
The Taliban announced earlier this week that the eight foreigners — two Americans, four Germans and two Australians — of Shelter Now International would be put on trial on charges of preaching Christianity.
The penalty for a foreigner is jail and expulsion. For an Afghan, the penalty is death. The Taliban also are holding 16 Afghan workers of Shelter Now International.