Shock and outrage have erupted across Afghanistan and around the world after a viral photograph revealed a 45-year-old man marrying a 6-year-old girl as his third wife in a remote village in the eastern province of Nangarhar.
The disturbing image showing the visibly distressed child standing beside her much older groom in a traditional wedding setting sparked an immediate backlash online, with human rights advocates and citizens alike demanding swift action from the authorities.
In a rare public move, the Taliban’s Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice confirmed on Wednesday that it has launched an investigation into the incident and has summoned the groom and the girl’s family for questioning.
“We have seen the reports and images, and this matter is under official review,” a spokesperson for the ministry told local media. “If the marriage violates Islamic or state law, there will be consequences.”
Under Afghan law, marriage under the age of 18 is prohibited but enforcement has remained weak, especially in rural areas where traditional customs, poverty, and patriarchal norms continue to dominate.
International observers and rights groups have condemned the marriage as an act of child abuse, urging the Taliban-led government to uphold its obligation to protect minors.
“This is not culture this is exploitation. A 6-year-old child cannot consent to marriage, no matter the justification,” said Fawzia Koofi, a former Afghan lawmaker and prominent women’s rights advocate now in exile.
The incident has also prompted renewed global calls for the protection of girls’ rights in Afghanistan, where access to education for girls has been severely restricted and early marriages remain alarmingly common.
Reports suggest the child’s parents may have agreed to the marriage under economic pressure a phenomenon that has worsened since the Taliban takeover, as widespread poverty has left many families desperate and vulnerable to harmful traditional practices.
UNICEF and other child protection agencies have expressed grave concern and are reportedly coordinating with local partners to ensure the child’s safety and well-being.
As the investigation unfolds, activists are urging the international community to keep the spotlight on gender-based abuses in Afghanistan, stressing that silence or inaction only emboldens further violations.
