KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – A 20-year-old man has ended his own life in Kandahar province, southern Afghanistan, amid the country’s rising suicide rate in recent months.
A local source told KabulNow today that the young man, identified as Wahidullah, committed suicide by consuming poison in Zhari district on Thursday, September 5.
The local Taliban security authorities have confirmed the incident, saying that the man’s body has been transported to the Kandahar provincial hospital.
Both the local source and the Taliban authorities linked the incident to domestic violence and mental health issues.
The source also revealed that earlier last month, the victim’s older brother, Ahmad Wali, had also taken his own life by ingesting poison at their home in the province.
The Taliban’s return to power in Afghanistan has brought about numerous challenges, including a rising suicide rate, particularly among young women and men who feel hopeless about their future in the country.
Under Taliban rule, Afghanistan has become one of the most depressed countries in the world, with the highest rates of mental health issues and suicidal thoughts among its population.
Last year, a study conducted by the US-based organization Gallup found that 98% of Afghanistan’s population suffers from psychological distress.
In the past month alone, KabulNow has reported at least six cases of young men and women taking their own lives across Afghanistan. All these cases have been linked to family issues, depression, and poverty.
Three days ago, a young man named Miram Shah Agha took his own life by hanging himself near his house in Kandahar province.
The actual number could be much higher, as many cases remain unreported due to the Taliban’s strict media restrictions and the reluctance of most families to report such incidents.
