At least 21 people died, and 38 others sustained injuries in a traffic accident on Sunday, March 17, 2024, in southern Afghanistan’s Helmand province.
The incident occurred in the Gerashk district on the primary highway connecting the southern province of Kandahar and the western province of Herat. The chain-reaction crash involved a motorbike, a passenger bus, and a fuel tanker, igniting a fire and leading to a tragic loss of life and numerous injuries.
According to officials from the provincial traffic department in Helmand, the accident began when a motorbike collided with a passenger bus. The bus subsequently veered into the opposite lane, striking a fuel tanker. The collision caused a massive fire, contributing to the high casualty rate. Hzatullah Haqqani, a spokesperson for the Helmand police chief, confirmed these details, adding that an investigation into the exact causes of the accident was underway.
Out of the 38 injured people, 11 were reported to have suffered serious injuries and were transported to local hospitals for urgent medical care. The devastating impact of the crash was evident in images shared on social media by the provincial information department, showing charred and twisted metal wreckage scattered across the highway, along with the crushed cabin of the tanker. Cleanup crews were deployed to remove debris and facilitate a thorough investigation.
This incident underscores the ongoing issue of traffic safety in Afghanistan, where accidents occur due to poor road conditions, inadequate signage, and general driver carelessness.
In December 2022, a devastating road accident took place in the Salang Pass when an oil tanker overturned and caught fire. The tragedy claimed 31 lives and caused burn injuries to several others.
Statistics provided by the country’s General Directorate of Traffic Police paint a grim picture, with more than 1,600 deaths and over 4,000 injuries recorded in the past ten months due to road traffic accidents. These numbers reflect the urgent need for enhanced road safety measures and stricter enforcement of traffic regulations to prevent further loss of life and injury.
