KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – A 25-year-old man has died by suicide in Samangan province, central Afghanistan, local sources reported, marking yet another case in the rising number of suicides in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan.
According to the sources, the man, identified as Nematullah Rahimi, hanged himself in a garden in Aybak city, the capital of Samangan province, on Wednesday, October 22.
The motive behind the incident remains unclear.
Local Taliban authorities confirmed the incident and said an investigation is underway.
Suicide attempts and rates have been rising in Afghanistan, especially among younger generations, since the Taliban returned to power in August 2021. Experts point to poverty, unemployment, limited opportunities, and increasing restrictions on women and youth as major contributing factors.
An investigative report by Etilaatroz found that at least 213 suicides took place in Afghanistan between April 2022 and April 2023. The following year, the Taliban Ministry of Interior reported that 360 suicide cases took place, indicating a rising trend.
Experts believe that most suicide cases in Afghanistan go unreported for religious and cultural reasons. Taking one’s own life is forbidden in Islam, and families of those who die by suicide often conceal the true cause of death.
