Midwife commits suicide amid domestic violence in Helmand — Pajhwok

LASHKARGAH (Pajhwok): A midwife allegedly committed suicide following repeated domestic violence at the hands of her husband in southern Helmand province, an official said on Friday. Mohammad Qasim Riyaz, spokesman for the Helmand governor, told Pajhwok Afghan News that the incident took place on Thursday in Sangin district. He said the woman had been facing family problems with her husband and had repeatedly been subjected to abuse and beatings. She died after taking a large number of pills, he added. Earlier, some media outlets had reported that the health worker had committed suicide after being dismissed from her job by the head of an organization. Riyaz rejected the reports as baseless, saying the woman had not been dismissed from her position. According to him, the suicide was linked to ongoing family disputes and repeated violence allegedly inflicted by her husband. Riyaz said the husband had been arrested by security forces and would be handed over to judicial and prosecutorial authorities for legal proceedings.