The country’s economic crisis, escalating poverty and unemployment, a culture of impunity, and the lack of rule of law, coupled with Taliban restrictions, have contributed to a surge in youth suicides. Statistics from the last 20 days reveal that 18 individuals have taken their own lives across 11 provinces. Among them, six were women and twelve were men. Notably, eleven of the victims were aged between 14 and 20, while the remaining seven were between 20 and 50 years old. Over the past month, suicide rates in the country have reached unprecedented levels. According to Hasht-e Subh Daily’s collected data, a total of 211 individuals have committed suicide in Afghanistan within the past 16 months. Disturbingly, 114 individuals have chosen to end their lives in the last three and a half months alone. It is important to note that the actual suicide rates might be even higher due to limitations in data collection.
According to the statistics, a minimum of 18 individuals have taken their own lives within the past 20 days, spanning 11 provinces. The provinces with the highest number of suicide cases are Ghazni, Farah, Badghis, Kandahar, and Ghor. The victims encompass children, women, and middle-aged individuals, with adolescents representing the majority based on age. The average age of these individuals, as reported by the Hasht-e Subh Daily, falls within the range of 14 to 20 years.
The information reveals that a young girl and a teenage boy took their own lives within a 24-hour period in Kapisa province. Local sources from the province stated that these incidents occurred on Monday, June 19, in the village of Kut in the Tagab district and the first region of the Kohistan district. Both individuals used firearms to end their lives. The girl, identified as Farmina, and the 17-year-old boy named Rahmatullah, were mentioned by local sources. However, no specific details have been provided regarding the motives behind these tragic suicides.
Moreover, a teenager took his own life in Farah province. Sources indicate that on Tuesday, June 20, in the fourth security division of Farah City, the victim leaped from the third floor of a building, resulting in his tragic demise. Local sources confirmed that the victim, aged 17, was driven to suicide by family violence.
In terms of statistics, Badghis province has witnessed the highest number of suicide cases in the past year. These statistics reveal that the province consistently experiences suicide incidents every month. Among them is the case of an 18-year-old youth who ended his life with a gunshot on Wednesday, June 21, in the Qades district of Badghis province. Sources attribute their suicide to family problems.
According to national suicide statistics, Parwan province has observed a recurring occurrence of suicides among young individuals each month. On Thursday, June 22, local sources reported the suicide of a 19-year-old boy in the Tajikan area of Jabal ul-Siraj district within the province. Sources state that the young man took his own life by shooting himself with a hunting rifle, although the motive behind his suicide remains unclear.
Ghor is another province where more than two individuals have committed suicide nearly every month. The province of Ghor is plagued by poverty, drought, and long-term unemployment, which are considered significant factors contributing to suicides among its youth. According to published statistics, a 16-year-old boy hanged himself on Monday night, June 26, in the vicinity of Firozkoh City. The motive for this teenager’s suicide remains unknown. Adding to the tragic occurrences in this province, a 19-year-old girl hanged herself on Saturday, July 1, in Firozkoh City, the center of the province. Sources attribute family violence as the motive behind her suicide.
In the past month, 13 individuals have taken their own lives in Ghazni province. According to available information, three teenagers committed suicide within a span of three days in different areas of the province. Sources reported on Monday, July 3, that these incidents occurred in the province’s center and Khwaja Omari district. It was disclosed that a 14-year-old child hanged himself on the third day of Eid al-Adha in the Qala-e Naw village of Khwaja Omari district. Additionally, two boys, aged 12 and 15, hanged themselves on Saturday and Sunday, July 1 and 2, respectively, in the center of Ghazni province. Moreover, a 23-year-old young man ended his life on Wednesday night, July 5, in the province’s center. The specific reasons behind these suicides remain unknown, although family problems, poverty, hunger, Taliban restrictions, and lack of rule of law have previously been identified as contributing factors to suicide among children and young people in this province.
Furthermore, according to local sources in Paktika province, a young girl has committed suicide in the Sar Hawza district. This tragic incident took place on Friday, July 7, in the village of Marzku. The sources revealed that the girl, aged 22, ended her life by shooting herself following a verbal dispute with family members.
It is important to note that suicides in the past 20 days have not been limited to adolescents and young people. Middle-aged men, who have experienced the vicissitudes of life, have also taken their own lives. According to the collected statistics, a 54-year-old man named Abdul Hamid hanged himself on Wednesday, July 5, in the village of Dali in the newly established Chahi district of Balkh province. The Taliban stated that the man was suffering from mental problems.
Even newlyweds, who have yet to experience the joyous essence of wedding celebrations, have not waited for the arrival of dreamlike moments. As reported in the media, a bride in Sar-e Pol province took her own life by shooting herself. Local sources disclosed that the wedding ceremony of this young girl had recently taken place without the presence of the groom. She was a 19-year-old resident of Zinjan village in the Sanchark district of Sar-e Pol province. Her family had held the wedding ceremony 40 days prior to her suicide, despite her husband’s absence.
Youth suicides extend beyond the borders of Afghanistan. Even those who have endured the hardships of travel and the sorrows of migration in search of a better life have not escaped the weight of despair. Among them, Saaem, a young asylum seeker, leaped from the sixth floor of a building in Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan, on Friday, June 23. Having recently left Afghanistan, his relatives reveal that his body was laid to rest in Faizabad City, the capital of Badakhshan province, following his tragic suicide.
The ongoing suicide statistics continue to highlight the distressing reality of many adolescents taking their own lives. In the Arghandab district of Kandahar province, a 14-year-old teenager named Mohammad Yasin Agha, residing in the Kallache Sayedan area, committed suicide. According to the Taliban, this young person went missing from home, and his lifeless body was later discovered hanging in an orchard. The Taliban attributed the motive behind his suicide to “life difficulties.” Another 14-year-old child, named Ahmad, also ended his life in this province. On the night of Saturday, June 24, he hanged himself in the Khak Chopan area of the Maiwand district. Although the specific reason for his suicide has not been mentioned by his family, the Taliban stated that the child had mental health issues.
Collected information reveals that Faryab province has experienced a number of suicide incidents each month. In the Gurziwan district, local sources reported the suicide of a 23-year-old woman named Farzana in the village of Ghalbayan on Monday, June 19. Sources state that she took her own life due to a family dispute. Additionally, another woman, named Jamila, who was the second wife of her husband, committed suicide on June 17 in the same district. According to sources, she would hang herself when her husband went out for leisure activities with his other wife. This tragic act leaves behind four children.
In a previous report, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan highlighted the rising levels of depression and suicidal thoughts among teenage girls who have been denied access to education. However, it is evident from reports that suicide rates among Afghan youth have significantly surged following the Taliban’s assumption of power. Various factors, including restrictions, unemployment, disillusionment with personal and societal circumstances, and the economic struggles faced by families, have been identified as contributing to this alarming trend. Additionally, the issue of impunity granted to Taliban members, which often gives rise to concerns and challenges for families, has also been cited as a factor leading to suicide among certain individuals in specific provinces.
