Death toll of Afghan road accident soars to 79-Xinhua

Death toll of Afghan road accident soars to 79

Source: Xinhua

Editor: huaxia

2025-08-20 16:57:30

A crane lifts the remains of a burnt passenger bus after a road accident in Herat province, western Afghanistan, Aug. 20, 2025. The death toll of the deadly road accident, which occurred in Afghanistan's western Herat province on Tuesday night, has reached 79, including women and children, spokesman for the Ministry of Interior Affairs Abdul Mateen Qani said Wednesday. (Photo by Mashal/Xinhua)

KABUL, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- The Death toll of the deadly road accident, which occurred in Afghanistan's western Herat province on Tuesday night, has reached 79, including women and children, spokesman for the Ministry of Interior Affairs Abdul Mateen Qani said Wednesday.

Among the victims, 19 are children, the official added.

Earlier, local officials in Herat city counted the dead bodies as high as 64, and three people were injured.

The bloody road mishap took place after a passenger bus carrying Afghan returnees from Iran collided with a motorbike and a mini-truck on a road linking the neighboring Iran to Herat city in Afghanistan on Tuesday night.

Blaming reckless driving for the mishap, local officials said that since the ill-fated bus caught fire in the deadly accident, the majority of the dead bodies could not be recognized.

The charred wreckage of a passenger bus is seen after a deadly collision with a mini-truck in Herat province, western Afghanistan, Aug. 20, 2025. The death toll of the deadly road accident, which occurred in Afghanistan's western Herat province on Tuesday night, has reached 79, including women and children, spokesman for the Ministry of Interior Affairs Abdul Mateen Qani said Wednesday. (Photo by Mashal/Xinhua)

The charred wreckage of a mini-truck is seen after a deadly collision with a passenger bus in Herat province, western Afghanistan, Aug. 20, 2025. The death toll of the deadly road accident, which occurred in Afghanistan's western Herat province on Tuesday night, has reached 79, including women and children, spokesman for the Ministry of Interior Affairs Abdul Mateen Qani said Wednesday. (Photo by Mashal/Xinhua)

The charred wreckage of a passenger bus is seen after a deadly collision with a mini-truck in Herat province, western Afghanistan, Aug. 20, 2025. The death toll of the deadly road accident, which occurred in Afghanistan's western Herat province on Tuesday night, has reached 79, including women and children, spokesman for the Ministry of Interior Affairs Abdul Mateen Qani said Wednesday. (Photo by Mashal/Xinhua)

The charred wreckage of a passenger bus is seen after a deadly collision with a mini-truck in Herat province, western Afghanistan, Aug. 20, 2025. The death toll of the deadly road accident, which occurred in Afghanistan's western Herat province on Tuesday night, has reached 79, including women and children, spokesman for the Ministry of Interior Affairs Abdul Mateen Qani said Wednesday. (Photo by Mashal/Xinhua)