On August 19, at 8 PM, a bus carrying dozens of Afghan migrants returning from Iran collided first with a motorcycle and then with a cargo truck on the Herat Ring Road.
Following the incident, the two motorcycle riders were killed instantly. Subsequently, the passenger bus and the cargo truck, which was transporting petroleum products, caught fire and were engulfed in a massive blaze.
The accident resulted in 79 fatalities, including 19 children. The Afghan Ministry of Interior reported that some of the bodies were severely burned and could not be identified. On August 20, the victims’ remains were collected from the scene and transported to Kabul via a military aircraft.
The bus passengers were all families who had been deported from Iran and were intending to travel to Kabul. According to the latest reports, one of the survivors, who was rescued in the initial moments, is currently hospitalized at the Herat Regional Hospital. The young man, approximately 27 years old, remains in a coma.
This tragic event has raised serious concerns about the safety of Afghanistan’s highways and transportation vehicles.
