At least 52 killed, 65 injured in two bus accidents in Afghanistan

The first bus collided with a fuel tanker near Shahbaz while another bus hit a truck in Andar in central Afghanistan

Two deadly bus accidents involving a fuel tanker and a truck on a highway in central Afghanistan resulted in the deaths of 52 people and left 65 others injured, the Taliban government confirmed on Thursday.

The incidents occurred late Wednesday on the Kabul-Kandahar Highway in Ghazni province. The first accident took place near Shahbaz village when a bus collided with a fuel tanker, while the second involved another bus hitting a truck in the eastern district of Andar.

Hamidullah Nisar, the provincial head of information and culture, reported the accidents on social media, although he did not specify the exact number of casualties in each incident.

“We learned with great regret that two fatal traffic accidents occurred on the Kabul-Kandahar Highway, in which 52 of our compatriots were killed and 65 others were injured,” said Zabihullah Mujahid, the chief government spokesman.

Rescue teams swiftly responded to the scene, transporting the injured to hospitals, with some reported to be in serious condition.

The cause of the accidents is not yet clear, but Afghanistan’s roads, which have suffered from decades of conflict, coupled with dangerous driving practices and a lack of regulatory oversight, contribute to frequent traffic incidents.

This tragic event follows a string of serious road accidents in the country. In March, more than 20 people were killed, and 38 others were injured when a bus collided with a fuel tanker in southern Helmand province.

Another fatal crash occurred in December 2022 in the Salang Pass, when a fuel tanker overturned and exploded, killing 31 people and leaving dozens more with severe burns.