Credited from: INDIATIMES
A tragic accident involving a truck carrying Afghan refugees returning from Pakistan resulted in the deaths of at least 22 people, including ten children and five women. The crash occurred in Laghman province on the main highway linking Kabul with Nangarhar, with authorities indicating that the driver likely fell asleep, causing the vehicle to overturn around 5:30 am local time, according to India Times, Los Angeles Times, and Al Jazeera.
The injured, numbering around 36, were promptly taken to hospitals in Nangarhar province for treatment. Provincial health director Aminullah Sharif confirmed that many of the injured were in critical condition, as families were returning after a crackdown by Pakistani authorities on undocumented migrants, which has led to an influx of Afghans heading home, according to India Times, Los Angeles Times, and Al Jazeera.
The Taliban government expressed its condolences, with spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid saying he was "deeply saddened" by the tragedy, which follows a pattern of common deadly traffic accidents in Afghanistan attributed to poor infrastructure and lack of regulation enforcement. Similar incidents have seen numerous fatalities in recent months, with over 447,000 Afghans returning from Pakistan this year alone amid worsening conditions for refugees, as per reports from India Times, Los Angeles Times, and Al Jazeera.