KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – A widow in Nangarhar province was shot and killed by her brother-in-law after rejecting his marriage proposal, local sources report.
The incident occurred on Friday, December 13, in the Qala-e-Khiyali area of Behsud district, a region in eastern Afghanistan.
Sources confirmed that the victim, who had been widowed for four years, was raising her two children alone when her brother-in-law proposed marriage. Upon her refusal, he fatally shot her.
The Taliban authorities in Nangarhar have confirmed the killing. Taib Hammad, a Taliban police spokesperson, stated that the suspect was apprehended while attempting to flee the scene and is currently under investigation.
This tragic case reflects broader patterns of violence faced by women in Afghanistan, particularly in regions where conservative customs and patriarchal traditions are deeply entrenched. In many parts of the ciountry, widows are often pressured—or even forced—to marry their late husband’s male relatives under so-called “customary laws.” Women who resist such marriages risk facing harassment, abuse, or even death at the hands of male family members.
The situation for Afghan women has worsened dramatically since the Taliban returned to power in August 2021. Systematic restrictions on women’s rights have been imposed, including bans on secondary and higher education, employment in public offices, and access to public spaces such as parks, gyms, and bathhouses.
Recent data paints a grim picture of gender-based violence (GBV) in Afghanistan. According to a report by Afghan Witness, between January 2022 and June 2024, over 700 GBV cases were documented, impacting at least 840 women and girls. Among these, 322 cases were classified as femicide—deliberate killings of women due to their gender. Additionally, the report highlighted 287 cases of arbitrary arrests, enforced disappearances, and detentions of women, alongside 75 instances of sexual assault and rape.
Human rights organizations and international experts have consistently condemned the Taliban’s policies, warning that the deteriorating situation constitutes gender apartheid. They argue that the increasing femicide and violence against women are not isolated incidents but part of a systemic campaign to erase women from public life.
