KABUL: In Afghanistan’s western province of Herat, the death toll from a tragic road accident has risen to 76.
According to provincial government spokesman Mohammad Yousuf Saeedi, the incident occurred on Tuesday night near Guzara district, close to Herat city.
He said that a passenger bus carrying Afghan citizens recently returned from Iran and heading toward Kabul collided with a motorcycle and an oil tanker.
The crash triggered a massive fire, leaving 76 people dead on the spot and three others critically injured.
Police officials stated that identifying the victims has become difficult as most of the bodies were badly burned.
The state-run Bakhtar news agency reported that this was the deadliest road accident in Afghanistan in recent years.
The UN migration agency noted that since the beginning of this year, nearly 1.5 million Afghan nationals have returned from Iran and Pakistan, as both countries have accelerated the repatriation of long-staying Afghan refugees.
Traffic accidents are frequent in Afghanistan, largely due to poorly maintained roads, reckless driving, and the absence of effective traffic regulations.
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In December last year, at least 52 people were killed in central Afghanistan when buses, an oil tanker, and a truck collided
