Afghanistan bus crash death toll rises to 79, including 19 children

According to an interim Taliban administration official, two survivors of a bus crash in western Afghanistan passed away from their injuries, resulting in 79 deaths.

A passenger bus carrying Afghan returnees from Iran struck a motorcycle and a fuel truck late on Tuesday, igniting a massive fire in Herat province’s Guzara district.

According to Abdul Mateen Qani, a spokesman for the interim Interior Ministry, at least 19 children were killed in Kabul on Wednesday.

Many bodies were too badly burned to be identified, according to Mohammad Janan Moqadas, the military hospital’s chief physician.

Clean crews were reportedly removing the burned-out bus and the other vehicle’s twisted wreckage on Wednesday, according to a journalist with the AFP news agency.

Witness Akbar Tawakoli, 34, told AFP, “There was a lot of fire… There was a lot of screaming, but we couldn’t even get within 50 meters to save anyone.” “Three people were saved from the bus by only three.” They also had their clothes burned, and they were also on fire.

Another witness, Abdullah, 25, told AFP, “I was very saddened that the majority of the bus passengers were women and children.”

Afghans who had recently been expelled from Iran were being transported by the bus, according to provincial spokesman Mohammad Yousuf Saeedi. An investigation has been ordered by the central government.

In a statement, the government expresses regret over the tragic bus collision and subsequent fire in Herat province last night, as well as the loss of numerous Afghan lives and the injuries suffered.

The United Nations’ migration agency reports that Iran and Pakistan have returned to deport Afghans after decades of providing them with detainees as a result of their increased deportation efforts. In a nation plagued by poverty and widespread unemployment, many people arrive with little or no money and are in dire need.

The incident was referred to as one of Afghanistan’s most fatal accidents in recent years, according to the state-run Bakhtar News Agency.