Date: 09/02/1404 Location: Darzab Nili village, Taywara District, Ghor Province
Death of Girl Following Attempted Forced Marriage by Taliban Member in Ghor
Local sources in Taywara District, Ghor Province, reported that a young girl named Abida died on Sunday, 27 April 2025, after attempting to escape a forced marriage to a Taliban member.
According to sources speaking to Afghanistan International, Haji Mohammad Rahmani, a Taliban member in Taywara District, sought to forcibly marry Abida to his brother. Sources stated that this effort had continued for nearly four years and had repeatedly been rejected by Abida and her family. The family had filed complaints with Taliban courts, which reportedly ruled against the marriage due to lack of consent. Sources also indicated that the Taliban appellate court in Kandahar Province had rejected Rahmani’s request.
On the day of the incident, sources reported that Rahmani arrived at the family’s home accompanied by armed men, detained Abida’s father and brother in a mosque, and attempted to forcibly take her. Local residents stated that Abida ended her life in order to avoid being taken. Videos provided to Afghanistan International reportedly show villagers attempting to extinguish a fire following the incident. Following Abida’s death, women’s rights activists launched public campaigns demanding accountability. Taliban officials did not publicly comment on the incident. Separately, the head of the Taliban’s Department for the Promotion of Virtue in Ghor claimed that dozens of forced marriages had been prevented in the Province over the past year, without addressing this case.

The death of Abida in Ghor Province highlights the lethal consequences of forced marriage practices enforced through armed coercion by Taliban members. Despite prior court rulings rejecting the marriage, the use of weapons, detention of family members, and attempted abduction demonstrate the collapse of legal protections when power is exercised through force and impunity. The incident reflects a broader pattern in which women and girls are subjected to coercion, intimidation, and violence under the guise of moral or familial authority. Abida’s death underscores the extreme vulnerability of girls facing forced marriage and the failure of enforcement mechanisms to protect consent, dignity, and life.