The Taliban’s High Commission for Refugee Affairs announced that a total of 6,644 migrants returned to Afghanistan from Iran and Pakistan on Tuesday, August 19.
According to the statement, approximately 75 percent of the returnees re-entered the country through the Islam Qala border in Herat and the Silk Road crossing in Nimruz.
The announcement came just hours after a deadly road crash involving deported migrants occurred on the Islam Qala–Herat highway. The bus, carrying passengers recently expelled from Iran, collided with a motorcycle and then a Mazda truck, triggering a fire that killed 79 people, including 19 children.
Authorities have blamed the incident on reckless driving and excessive speed.
The tragedy highlights the mounting dangers facing returnees, who often endure long journeys in unsafe conditions with minimal oversight or support.
