21 Dead and 38 Injured In Afghanistan After Bus Collides With Tanker

At least 21 people lost their lives, and 38 others sustained injuries on Sunday in a tragic incident where a bus collided with a fuel tanker truck and erupted in flames in southern Afghanistan.

Traffic accidents are unfortunately common in Afghanistan, attributed to poor road conditions following years of conflict, reckless driving on highways, and inadequate regulation.

Mohammad Qasim Riyaz, a spokesman for the provincial governor, informed AFP, "Twenty-one people were killed in a traffic accident involving a passenger bus, a tanker, and a motorbike" on a major highway passing through Grishk district in southern Helmand province.

Out of the 38 injured individuals, 11 were severely affected, as reported by the provincial information department.

The devastating accident occurred during the early hours of the morning on a vital highway connecting the western city of Herat through southern provinces to the capital Kabul, as stated by provincial officials.

The passenger bus, en route from Herat to Kabul, initially collided with a motorbike carrying two individuals, resulting in the unfortunate demise of both riders, according to Helmand traffic management officials.

Subsequently, the bus driver lost control, leading to a collision with a tanker truck traveling in the opposite direction, igniting a fire.

The incident claimed the lives of three individuals on the tanker and 16 bus passengers.

Survivor Ghulam Sarwar, speaking from a hospital in the provincial capital Lashkar Gah, recounted, "When the bus hit the tanker, it pierced the tank, which burst into flames. The flames engulfed passengers in the front, while those in the back managed to escape through a broken window by jumping out."

"If it weren't for the broken window, all passengers would have perished," Sarwar lamented.

Images released by the information department depicted charred wreckage scattered on the highway and the mangled cabin of the tanker.

Efficient clean-up crews swiftly arrived at the scene to clear the debris, as per officials' statements.

Sarwar mentioned that the bus carried individuals recently repatriated from Iran, including many Afghans sent back via the Islam Qala crossing near Herat. "Among them were children and women," he added, describing the harrowing ordeal of screams and cries as passengers faced the flames.

Another survivor, Mohammad Reza, noted that many passengers were asleep during the accident, which occurred around 3:00 am (2230 GMT Saturday).

Taliban government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid expressed condolences over the accident and wished the injured a speedy recovery in a statement on X. He urged drivers to exercise caution and adhere to traffic regulations.

This tragic incident follows another serious accident involving a fuel tanker in December 2022, where the vehicle overturned and caught fire in Afghanistan's high-altitude Salang pass, claiming 31 lives and leaving numerous others with burn injuries.