A Girl in Ghor Self-Immolated to Avoid Forced Marriage to a Taliban Member

Local sources in Ghor province report that a girl in the Taywara district has taken her own life after being forced into marriage with a Taliban member.

According to the sources, a local Taliban commander named Mohammad Rahmani had demanded that a girl named Abida, from the village of Darzab in Taywara district, be forcibly married to his brother Mohammad Azim. Out of fear and despair, Abida poured oil over herself, set herself on fire, and died from her injuries.

The source added that the Taliban fighter has detained Abida’s father, Mohammad Aalam, and her brother, and is holding them inside a mosque.

Another local source confirmed the incident, saying that Abida ended her life due to being forced into marriage with a Taliban member. The girl’s father and brother had reportedly opposed the marriage, but the Taliban insisted on it being carried out against their will.

This tragedy comes shortly after Taliban leader Mullah Hibatullah issued a decree declaring forced marriage unlawful and stating that a girl's consent is a fundamental requirement for marriage.

Previously, the Taliban’s Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue claimed that over the past three years, they had prevented around 5,000 cases of forced marriage across different provinces of Afghanistan.

Despite such claims, many women across the country continue to face immense pressure under Taliban rule. In provinces like Ghor, forced marriages and restrictions on women’s freedoms have led numerous women and girls to take their own lives. In a country like Afghanistan, where girls and women are often denied the right to make decisions about their own lives, many are married off without even being asked for their consent.