KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – Sources in Kandahar say a man has killed his young son with an iron object following a verbal dispute in the southern Afghan province.
A source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the incident occurred on Sunday, August 23, near Shahr-e-Naw in the 13th security district of Kandahar city, along the road leading to the hospital.
According to the source, a verbal argument initially broke out between the father and son. The father then allegedly beat his 25-year-old son, identified as Muslim, with an iron object, killing him.
Sources said the victim’s father works as a mechanic and that he cited economic problems as the reason for the dispute with his son.
The incident comes amid a series of reported suicides and suicide attempts linked to economic hardship and other pressures in Afghanistan. On August 9, local sources in Kandahar said two young men had attempted suicide by ingesting poison in Kandahar City’s eighth district; one died while receiving treatment, while the other survived.
On August 18, a teenage boy also died after shooting himself in southern Uruzgan province, according to local Taliban authorities. The cases highlight the pressures facing young people in Afghanistan, where unemployment, financial difficulties and other social challenges have contributed to growing concerns over mental health and suicide.
Economic hardship, unemployment and the resulting psychological pressure have contributed to rising tensions within families in Afghanistan, where a prolonged economic crisis has left many households struggling to meet their basic needs.
Since the Taliban returned to power in 2021, Afghanistan’s economic and humanitarian situation has deteriorated further. The Taliban’s restrictions on women’s education and employment have excluded millions of women from the workforce, while shrinking job opportunities, widespread unemployment, poverty and declining humanitarian assistance have placed additional pressure on families.
These conditions have deepened economic hardship and contributed to growing financial and social pressures, particularly among young people.
Investigations by Etilaatroz and KabulNow found that at least 213 people, mostly under the age of 20, took their own lives in 2023. The true figure is believed to be higher, as many cases go unreported due to Taliban restrictions on media and the stigma surrounding mental health in Afghanistan.
