KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – An elderly man has died by suicide in northern Farah province, local sources report. The man hanged himself from a tree in the village of Daranj, Khak-e-Safid district, on the night of March 15.
According to sources, he was staying as a guest at another person’s home. After the host had gone to sleep, he left the house and took his own life. The man was originally from Helmand province.
The reason behind his suicide remains unknown.
Taliban officials in Farah have yet to comment on the incident.
This marks the latest in a growing wave of suicide cases reported across Afghanistan in recent months. Just a day earlier, a 40-year-old man in Kandahar took his own life.
More than three years into Taliban rule, Afghanistan is grappling with a worsening mental health crisis, with alarming rates of psychological distress and suicidal thoughts. A 2023 Gallup study found that 98% of Afghans experience mental health issues.
Investigations by Etilaat Roz/KabulNow recorded at least 213 suicide deaths in Afghanistan in 2023, nearly 80% of them among individuals under the age of 20.
However, the true figures are believed to be significantly higher, as many cases go unreported due to Taliban media restrictions and the stigma surrounding mental health.
