At least 22 people, including 10 children and five women, were killed and about 36 others injured when 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 connecting Kabul with Nangarhar province.According to provincial health director Aminullah Sharif, the truck fell into a ditch after the driver allegedly fell asleep, news agency AP reported.Abdul Malik Niazai, a spokesman for the Laghman governorate, said the injured were transferred to hospitals in neighboring Nangarhar province for treatment.Most of the victims were women and children.
Refugees returning from Pakistan
The travelers were among thousands of Afghans returning from Pakistan, which began a crackdown on undocumented migrants in 2023 and has since deported many Afghans or pressured them to leave.Iran has also intensified the expulsion of Afghan migrants.Millions of Afghans have returned from the two neighboring countries in recent years, including many who were born in Pakistan and lived and worked there for decades.The accident occurred on the road connecting Jalalabad and Kabul. Taliban government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said he was “deeply saddened” by the tragedy and prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured.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, weak enforcement of rules, and dangerous driving practices often contribute to fatal accidents.In a separate incident, a car veered off the road and fell into a river in Nuristan province on Friday night, injuring the driver and missing four passengers, according to local officials.Rescue teams were continuing the search operation on Saturday also.The latest tragedy comes months after a bus carrying Afghan migrants returning from Iran collided with two other vehicles in western Afghanistan in August, killing 78 people, including 19 children.