KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – A 28-year-old woman, recently divorced by her husband, died by suicide in northern Faryab province, local sources confirmed.
The woman, identified as Jamila, hanged herself on Sunday night, February 23, at her father’s home in Khwaja Sabz Posh district, according to sources.
A source stated that Jamila’s husband had recently returned from Iran and, for unknown reasons, divorced her.
She had been staying at her father’s house at the time of the incident.
Taliban officials in Faryab have yet to comment on the case.
Suicide cases among women and girls have surged since the Taliban’s return to power, with growing restrictions on women’s rights, forced and early marriages, mental health issues, and widespread domestic violence cited as key factors.
Reports indicate an alarming rise in gender-based violence across the country. A study by Afghan Witness recorded more than 700 cases between January 2022 and June 2024, affecting at least 840 women and girls. The report documented 322 cases of femicide—women killed due to their gender—as well as 287 instances of arrest, detention, and enforced disappearances. At least 75 cases of sexual violence were also recorded.
