KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – Local sources in Kandahar province, southern Afghanistan, reported that a young man took his life by hanging amid the recent rise in suicide cases across the country.
The source identified the man as 28-year-old Rohullah, who committed suicide in a guesthouse in the capital city of Kandahar on Monday morning, December 23.
According to sources, the young man was originally from Paktia in eastern Afghanistan and had recently traveled to Kandahar in search of a job.
The local Taliban authorities have confirmed the incident, saying that the man’s body has been transferred to the provincial hospital for further investigation.
The motive behind the incident remains unclear.
The Taliban’s return to power in Afghanistan has brought numerous challenges, including widespread poverty, unemployment, and mental health issues, which sometimes drive hopeless young men and women to take their own lives.
Afghanistan has become one of the most depressed countries in the world, experiencing the highest rates of mental health issues and suicidal thoughts among its population. A study conducted last year by the US-based organization Gallup found that 98% of Afghanistan’s population suffers from psychological distress.
Investigations by Etilaat Roz and KabulNow revealed that in the past year alone, 213 men and women committed suicide across Afghanistan, with nearly 80% of the cases involving those under 20 years of age. The actual numbers may be even higher, as many incidents go unreported due to Taliban media restrictions and the stigma surrounding mental health in Afghan society.
