HERAT – A devastating bus accident in western Afghanistan has killed 73 people, including 17 children, when the vehicle carrying Afghan deportees from Iran collided with a truck and a motorcycle before bursting into flames. The victims were being transported toward Kabul when the tragedy occurred, according to local officials.
The crash was attributed to reckless driving, as investigators reported that excessive speed and the driver’s negligence likely played a critical role. The bus overturned and caught fire, engulfing all passengers, while two additional victims emerged from the other vehicles involved. Most of those aboard had boarded at Islam Qala, a border town near Iran, where large numbers of deported migrants have been departing in recent months.
Officials note that Iran has dramatically intensified deportations of undocumented Afghans, many of whom had sought refuge there for decades. The latest campaign has compelled more than 1.5 million Afghans to return since January, overwhelming Afghanistan’s already-strained rehabilitation capacity. The nation is simultaneously receiving renewed influxes of returnees from Pakistan, compounding the humanitarian burden.
Humanitarian groups warn that this latest disaster underscores the worsening toll of forced migration on vulnerable communities, as recessed resources and diminished aid compound the crisis in Afghanistan. With millions in displacement and dwindling assistance, authorities and aid organisations alike are calling for urgent international support to avert further catastrophes.
This story has been reported by PakTribune. All rights reserved.