LAGHMAN: A truck carrying Afghan refugees returning from Pakistan lost control and plunged into a ravine in eastern Afghanistan’s Laghman province on Saturday, killing at least 22 people and injuring 36 others, officials said.
The accident occurred on the main highway connecting Kabul and Nangarhar province, according to Abdul Malik Niazi, a spokesman for the provincial governor.
Niazi said that among the dead were 10 children and five women. The injured were being transferred to various hospitals in neighboring Nangarhar province for treatment.
Aminullah Sharif, head of the provincial health department, confirmed the death toll and number of injuries to the Associated Press. He stated that initial investigations suggest the truck crashed because the driver fell asleep at the wheel.
The passengers involved in the accident were among the thousands of Afghan refugees who have returned to Afghanistan from Pakistan in recent months.
Pakistan launched a crackdown on illegal immigrants in 2023, after which a large number of Afghan citizens were forced to leave the country or were sent back. Meanwhile, Iran has also intensified its campaign to expel Afghan refugees, adding to the growing flow of returnees facing perilous journeys.
