KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – Two young men have died by suicide in separate incidents in Nangarhar and Kandahar provinces as cases rise across the country under Taliban rule.
In Nangarhar, a 32-year-old man took his own life by hanging himself in Sorkh Rod district on Sunday, June 29.
According to Seyyed Tayeb Hamad, spokesperson for the Taliban police in the province, the man, originally from Pachiragam district, had long struggled with drug addiction and mental health issues. Hamad also noted that the man’s wife had divorced him some time ago.
A day earlier, a 24-year-old man in Kandahar city also died by suicide. Local sources identified him as Fida Mohammad and said he hanged himself in District 9. Before taking his life, he posted a photo on Facebook and asked his friends for forgiveness.
Sources added that he had been searching for a job for the past three months but was unsuccessful. He had completed high school but had not pursued higher education.
Taliban officials in Kandahar have yet to comment on the incident.
These cases are part of a broader pattern of distress across the country. More than three years into Taliban rule, Afghanistan faces a mounting mental health crisis. A 2023 Gallup survey found that 98 percent of Afghans reported experiencing mental health challenges.
Experts cite poverty, unemployment, and untreated psychological disorders as key drivers of suicide. While men often struggle with joblessness and addiction, the situation is especially dire for women and girls, who face forced marriages, domestic violence, and growing despair. Sweeping restrictions on women’s rights, including bans on education, employment, and freedom of movement, have further intensified the psychological burden.
The Taliban’s dismantling of legal protections against domestic abuse has left many, particularly women, without recourse to justice or mental health support.
