The bus caught fire after colliding with a truck and motorcycle in Herat province on Tuesday night, confirming reports from the Taliban's interior ministry. Ahmadullah Mottaqi, the Taliban’s director of information and culture in the region, revealed all passengers on board the bus, including 17 children, perished, along with at least two individuals from the other vehicles involved in the accident. The bus was on its way to Kabul and predominantly carried undocumented Afghan migrants forcibly deported from Iran, where deportations have surged in recent months amid intensifying tensions and security concerns.
Provincial governor spokesman Mohammad Yousuf Saeedi stated that the migrants boarded the vehicle in Islam Qala, situated near the Afghan-Iran border. Police investigations suggested that the accident was caused by the bus driver’s “excessive speed and negligence,” a common issue in Afghanistan where road conditions are dire due to years of conflict and lax enforcement of traffic laws.
Since the 1970s, millions of Afghans have sought refuge in Iran and Pakistan, primarily fleeing ongoing conflict and instability. In light of the Taliban’s resurgence in 2021, Iran has increased the forced repatriation of undocumented Afghans, with allegations of sweeping accusations. The situation has further escalated since a brief conflict with Israel in June, leading to over 1.5 million Afghans leaving Iran this year, according to the UN Refugee Agency. The influx of returnees poses a significant challenge for Afghanistan, which is already grappling with humanitarian crises and limited resources.
Arshad Malik, country director for Save the Children Afghanistan, emphasized the strain that this new wave of returnees places on Afghanistan’s already-stretched resources, particularly as the country is simultaneously dealing with cuts in aid and a rising tide of displaced individuals from neighboring Pakistan.
Provincial governor spokesman Mohammad Yousuf Saeedi stated that the migrants boarded the vehicle in Islam Qala, situated near the Afghan-Iran border. Police investigations suggested that the accident was caused by the bus driver’s “excessive speed and negligence,” a common issue in Afghanistan where road conditions are dire due to years of conflict and lax enforcement of traffic laws.
Since the 1970s, millions of Afghans have sought refuge in Iran and Pakistan, primarily fleeing ongoing conflict and instability. In light of the Taliban’s resurgence in 2021, Iran has increased the forced repatriation of undocumented Afghans, with allegations of sweeping accusations. The situation has further escalated since a brief conflict with Israel in June, leading to over 1.5 million Afghans leaving Iran this year, according to the UN Refugee Agency. The influx of returnees poses a significant challenge for Afghanistan, which is already grappling with humanitarian crises and limited resources.
Arshad Malik, country director for Save the Children Afghanistan, emphasized the strain that this new wave of returnees places on Afghanistan’s already-stretched resources, particularly as the country is simultaneously dealing with cuts in aid and a rising tide of displaced individuals from neighboring Pakistan.
