KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – A man in Kandahar province, southern Afghanistan, has killed his pregnant wife, local sources report, as cases of domestic violence continue to rise under Taliban rule.
According to the sources, the incident occurred on Monday, June 16, in the Spin Boldak district. The victim, identified as Sayeda, was six months pregnant. She was reportedly strangled with a rope following a verbal argument with her husband.
Taliban authorities in Kandahar have not commented on the case.
This incident follows similar recent cases in Kandahar city, Nangarhar, and Samangan provinces, where women were reportedly killed by their husbands. All these cases have been linked to domestic violence.
Since August 2021, when the Taliban regained control of Afghanistan, reports of gender-based violence have increased sharply. Women now face strict restrictions and limited access to justice or protection.
According to Afghan Witness, a project monitoring human rights in the country, at least 840 cases of violence against women and girls were recorded between January 2022 and June 2024. Of these, 332 resulted in murder.
Women’s rights advocates say the lack of legal protections and support services is leaving many women with no choice but to suffer in silence.
UN Special Rapporteur Richard Bennett has expressed concerns about the deteriorating situation. He has called for accountability, mental health support, and urgent global action to address what he has described as “gender apartheid” in Afghanistan.
