Diyala high school student dies by suicide, forensic probe opened

BAQUBAH, Iraq — A high school student in northern Diyala province died by suicide by hanging, prompting the Forensic Medicine Authority to open an investigation. The fifth-year science student used a shawl to take her own life late at night on a public street in the Jalawla district, northeast of the provincial capital, according to initial findings. Preliminary information indicated that the student’s mother was undergoing cancer treatment and the family was facing severe financial hardship. Local reports said the province has recorded more than 40 suicide cases in 2025 and a similar number since the start of 2026, with most cases involving young people. According to official figures cited in statistical analysis, roughly 270 suicide cases were registered across Iraq in the first quarter of 2025. No further details on the Diyala case were immediately available.