In a tragic road accident in Afghanistan’s western Herat province, at least 71 people, including 17 children, lost their lives, officials confirmed. The incident occurred when a passenger bus collided with a truck and a motorcycle, triggering a massive fire.
The bus was reportedly carrying deported migrants to Kabul at the time of the crash. Authorities fear the death toll may rise as rescue operations continue.
Provincial government spokesman Ahmadullah Muttaqi shared footage of the tragic scene on X (formerly Twitter), showing the bus engulfed in flames.
In his Arabic-language caption, he wrote, “Firefighters arrived quickly at the scene, but unfortunately, they were unable to save the victims." Emergency responders could be seen battling the intense fire that followed the collision. He added, “We will share the identities of the victims and the name of the province shortly."
The incident is part of a wider trend of deportations, with growing numbers of Afghans being expelled from Iran amid stricter immigration policies and heightened border enforcement.
According to a report by Al Jazeera, police attributed the crash to “excessive speed and negligence” on the part of the bus driver. Provincial official Mohammad Yousuf Saeedi stated that the bus was en route to Kabul and was transporting refugees who had recently been deported from Iran.
Among the victims were passengers from the bus, along with two individuals in the truck and two on the motorcycle, according to an AFP report.
According to Afghan authorities, more than 1.5 million Afghans have returned to the country from Iran and Pakistan since the beginning of this year. Many of them had fled Afghanistan over the past few decades to escape conflict and humanitarian crises.
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