RASC News Agency: The Taliban’s return to power in Afghanistan has precipitated an alarming rise in poverty and unemployment. Thousands have fled the country in search of livelihood, while others, trapped in despair, have taken their own lives. Local sources in Nangarhar reported today that an elderly man, driven by extreme poverty, tragically committed suicide. The man, identified as Allahdad, a resident of the First District of Jalalabad, reportedly expressed ongoing grievances about his financial struggles. On Monday, January 6, he took the drastic step of jumping into the Kabul River, where he drowned.
According to eyewitness accounts, Allahdad was unable to cope with the crushing burden of poverty and chose to end his life. Efforts to retrieve his body from the river have so far been unsuccessful. Local Taliban officials in Nangarhar have remained silent on the incident, offering no statement or acknowledgment. This tragedy is part of a growing pattern. In recent months, similar suicides have been reported in other parts of Afghanistan, including an incident in Herat and two cases in Kabul.
The Taliban’s governance has largely focused on entrenching their authority and imposing their ideological framework on Afghanistani society, neglecting the dire socioeconomic issues afflicting the population. Since their return to power, Afghanistan has witnessed a significant escalation in poverty-related suicides. Additionally, thousands of Afghanistanis have fled to neighboring countries like Iran and Pakistan in pursuit of employment, only to face detention and forced deportation back to Afghanistan.
The compounded crises of poverty, unemployment, and displacement have created an unparalleled humanitarian catastrophe in Afghanistan, claiming lives and leaving countless citizens in despair. As the situation continues to deteriorate, the lack of tangible action from the Taliban underscores their disregard for the plight of ordinary Afghanistanis.
