At least 18 Afghan refugees returning from Pakistan were killed and 35 others injured when the truck carrying them overturned on a highway in eastern Afghanistan on Saturday, officials said. Most of the victims were women and children.
The accident took place in Laghman province on the main road connecting Kabul with Nangarhar province, according to Abdul Malik Niazai, spokesperson for the provincial governor.
Among those killed were 10 children and five women, Niazai said, adding that the injured were taken to hospitals in Nangarhar for treatment.
Taliban government spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid expressed grief over the tragedy and extended condolences to the families of the victims.
Road accidents are a frequent occurrence in Afghanistan due to poor road conditions and widespread disregard for traffic rules.
The passengers were among the thousands of Afghans who have recently returned from Pakistan following Islamabad's crackdown on undocumented migrants, launched in 2023. Since then, many Afghans have been deported or pressured to leave.
Neighbouring Iran has also stepped up the expulsion of Afghan migrants. As a result, millions of Afghans have returned from both countries, including many who were born and raised in Pakistan and had spent most of their lives there.
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