A passenger bus carrying Afghan migrants deported from Iran collided with a motorcycle and a fuel tanker in the Guzara district of Herat province, western Afghanistan, on the night of 19/8, subsequently catching fire, police said.

"76 people died and three others were seriously injured," said Mohammad Yousuf Saeedi, a spokesperson for the Herat provincial government. According to the Bakhtar news agency, this is one of the deadliest road accidents in Afghanistan in recent years.

The deceased, including more than 10 children, were transported to a military hospital. Doctor Mohammad Janan Moqadas stated that many of the bodies were "unidentifiable."

According to spokesperson Saeedi, the bus was carrying Afghan migrants being repatriated from Iran. The exact number of passengers on board remains unclear.

According to the United Nations migration agency, at least 1.5 million Afghans have returned from Iran and Pakistan since the beginning of this year. Both countries are attempting to compel migrants to leave after decades of hosting them. Many returnees face significant challenges resettling in a country grappling with widespread poverty and high unemployment.

Traffic accidents are common in Afghanistan, partly due to poor road conditions after decades of conflict, reckless driving, and a lack of safety regulations. In December of last year, two bus accidents on a highway in central Afghanistan killed at least 52 people.

In 3/2024, more than 20 people died and 38 were injured when a bus collided with a fuel tanker and caught fire in Helmand province, southern Afghanistan. Another serious accident involving a fuel tanker occurred in 12/2022, causing a bus to overturn and burn on the Salang Pass, killing 31 people.

Huyen Le (According to AFP)