A 45-year-old man in Afghanistan’s Helmand province has sparked outrage after marrying a 6-year-old girl as his third wife, prompting intervention from local Taliban authorities.
The marriage, which took place in the Marjah district on June 27, 2025, was reportedly arranged after the girl’s father exchanged her for money, according to local media outlet Amu.tv and Hasht-e Subh Daily.
The man, who already has two wives, was set to take the child to his home when the Taliban stepped in, arresting both him and the girl’s father.
A haunting photograph of the man standing beside the young girl drew widespread horror, even prompting action from the Taliban, who have not issued an official condemnation but have barred the man from taking the child until she reaches the age of 9.
No formal charges have been filed against either man, a decision that has drawn criticism from human rights advocates who argue it reflects the Taliban’s lenient stance on child marriages.
The incident highlights a growing crisis in Afghanistan, where child marriages have surged by 25% since the Taliban’s 2021 takeover and the subsequent ban on girls’ education, according to UN Women.
Economic desperation, worsened by a collapsing economy and frozen international aid, has driven families to sell daughters as young as 20 days old for future marriages, with a 45% increase in childbearing reported across the country.
In 2021, a similar case gained international attention when 9-year-old Parwana Malik was rescued by a charity after being sold to a 55-year-old man for $2,200 in land, sheep, and cash.
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