At least 71 people, including 17 children, lost their lives in a devastating traffic accident on the Herat–Islam Qala highway, according to Taliban officials in Herat. The victims were among a group of migrants who had recently been deported from Iran and were en route to Kabul when their passenger bus collided with a motorcycle and a truck late Tuesday night, August 19.
Ahmadullah Muttaqi, the Taliban’s Minister of Information and Culture in Herat, confirmed the casualties and cited excessive speed and driver negligence as the cause of the crash.
Deadly traffic incidents are alarmingly common in Afghanistan, often attributed to poor road conditions, lack of traffic enforcement, and reckless driving. But this particular tragedy has sparked a wave of public outcry.
Dawood Naji, head of the political committee of the Freedom Front, blamed the Taliban’s mismanagement and alleged that the rise in fatal accidents since the group’s takeover is due to corruption, lack of oversight, and the sale of driver’s licenses for cash.
This incident further highlights the growing dangers faced by deported migrants from Iran, many of whom are returned to Afghanistan in vulnerable conditions, without support, protection, or proper transport infrastructure.
