Tragic Collision in Afghanistan Results in Loss of Lives

KABUL: A devastating collision between an oil tanker and a bus in Helmand province, Afghanistan, has led to the loss of 21 lives and left 38 injured.

According to reports from provincial information authorities shared on the social media website X, the collision occurred on Sunday morning between a tanker, a passenger bus, and a motorcycle on the Herat-Kandahar Highway.

Mohammad Qasim Riyaz, spokesperson for the governor of Helmand, revealed that the collision resulted in a fire outbreak.

Images shared on social media by the information department depict burnt bodies on the highway and the charred cabin of the tanker.

Efforts are underway by authorities to clear the scene and provide assistance to the victims. Among the injured, 11 are in critical condition, while 27 sustained moderate injuries.

Officials from the Helmand traffic management informed that the passenger bus, en route from Herat city to the capital Kabul, first collided with a motorcycle, resulting in the death of both riders. Subsequently, the bus driver lost control and collided with an oil tanker traveling from the southern city of Kandahar to Herat, igniting a fire.

The collision claimed the lives of three individuals on the tanker and 16 passengers on the bus.

This incident comes as a grim reminder of a similar tragic accident in December 2022, where a collision between a vehicle and an oil tanker sparked a fire at Salang Pass in Afghanistan, resulting in the deaths of 31 individuals and several injuries.

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Efforts are ongoing to assist the injured and manage the aftermath of this tragic event, with authorities emphasizing the need for heightened caution and adherence to traffic regulations to prevent such incidents in the future.