KABUL, May 30: At least 18 Afghan refugees, primarily women and children, were killed and 35 others injured when a truck carrying them back from Pakistan overturned on a highway in eastern Afghanistan on Saturday.
Information was available with The Chenab Times that the incident occurred in Laghman province along the main highway connecting the capital, Kabul, with Nangarhar province. Abdul Malik Niazai, spokesperson for the provincial governor, confirmed the fatalities, stating that 10 children and five women were among the deceased.
The injured have been transported to hospitals in Nangarhar for medical attention. Zabihullah Mujahid, the spokesperson for the Taliban government, expressed his condolences to the families of the victims.
Traffic accidents are a frequent occurrence across Afghanistan, a country where road infrastructure is often poorly maintained and traffic regulations are frequently disregarded by drivers. The passengers were part of a larger group of Afghans recently returning from Pakistan, which initiated a significant crackdown on undocumented migrants in 2023, leading to widespread deportations and pressure on many to leave.
The expulsions from Pakistan were paralleled by intensified efforts by Iran to expel Afghan migrants around the same period. Consequently, millions of Afghans have made their way back to their home country from both nations. This wave of returnees includes a substantial number of individuals who were born in Pakistan and had resided and worked there for several decades.
The Chenab Times News Desk