A man carrying a child who was injured in the accident (Image: AP)
At least 22 people, including 10 children and five women, were killed and about 36 others injured after a truck carrying Afghan refugees returning from Pakistan overturned on a highway in eastern Afghanistan on Saturday, officials said.The accident occurred in Laghman province on the main highway linking Kabul to Nangarhar province.According to Provincial Health Director Aminullah Sharif, the truck fell into a ditch after the driver fell asleep, the Associated Press news agency reported.Abdul Malik Niazai, spokesman for the governor of Laghman, said the injured were taken to hospitals in neighboring Nangarhar province for treatment.Most of the victims were women and children.
Refugees returning from Pakistan
The passengers were among thousands of Afghans returning from Pakistan, which launched a crackdown on illegal immigrants in 2023 and has since deported or pressured many Afghans to leave.Iran has also intensified expulsions of Afghan migrants.Millions of Afghans have returned from the two neighboring countries in recent years, including many who were born in Pakistan and spent decades living and working there.
The accident occurred on the road linking Jalalabad and Kabul. Taliban government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said he was “deeply saddened” by the tragedy and called for the speedy recovery of the wounded.Data from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the International Organization for Migration showed that about 447,400 Afghans have returned from Pakistan since the beginning of this year.Traffic accidents are common in Afghanistan, where poor road conditions, poor enforcement of regulations and dangerous driving practices often contribute to fatal accidents.In a separate accident, a car veered off the road and fell into a river in Nuristan Province on Friday evening, injuring the driver and losing four passengers, according to local authorities.Rescue teams continue searches on Saturday.The latest tragedy comes months after a bus carrying Afghan migrants returning from Iran collided with two other cars in western Afghanistan in August, killing 78 people, including 19 children.
