The Afghan women who resort to self-immolation...

Sitting in her family's mud brick home, Shanas recalled the day she set herself on fire. 

The 16-year-old doused her legs in petrol and then with a match set the fuel alight. 

"The next thing I remember was waking up in the hospital surrounded by my family. That was three or four days later." 

From what Shanas says it is unclear what drove her five years ago to take such drastic action. 

She may have been unhappy about her engagement during that period. 

But what is clear is that her story is one that is repeated across Afghanistan. More...

See also:

1. "The Afghan girl" ... 17 years later!
2. The silent terrorism: acid attacks on women...
3. Afghanistan: school-girl acid attack morons arrested...
4. Female Afghan journalist defies death threats...
5. Born a woman in Afghanistan...