A tragic road accident in northwestern Afghanistan has claimed the lives of at least 79 people, including 19 children. The crash took place in Herat province on Tuesday evening when a bus carrying Afghan nationals returning from Iran collided with a truck and a motorbike. The impact caused a massive fire that spread quickly, burning most of the passengers on the spot. According to the Interior Ministry spokesperson Abdul Mateen Qani, two people also sustained injuries and were taken to nearby hospitals for treatment. The timing of the accident was reported to be around 8:30 p.m., as per Afghan news outlet Tolo News.
The victims were part of a larger group of Afghans who had recently been deported or returned from Iran. In recent months, nearly 1.8 million Afghans have been forced to leave Iran and go back home. Pakistan has also sent back more than 184,000 Afghans, while Turkey has deported over 5,000. On top of that, around 10,000 Afghan prisoners have been repatriated, mainly from Pakistan. These forced returns have put additional pressure on Afghanistan, which is already struggling with poverty, unemployment, and weak infrastructure.
Advocacy groups like Save the Children expressed deep concern over the incident, highlighting the dangers faced by Afghan children in particular. “This horrific tragedy is a stark reminder of the deadly risks hundreds of thousands of Afghan children face on their journeys from Iran,” said Samira Sayed Rahman, a representative of the organization. She urged countries like Iran and Pakistan to ensure that deportations are carried out safely and that children are not put at risk during the process. The group also pointed out that many of these children face hunger, lack of shelter, and violence when they are sent back to Afghanistan.
The Taliban-led government has also criticized neighboring countries for the mass expulsion of Afghan citizens. Officials from the Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation recently stated that around six million Afghans are still living abroad, most of them in Iran and Pakistan. Many of these people fled Afghanistan during decades of war, poverty, and political instability. Now, as Iran and Pakistan tighten their immigration rules, millions are being forced to return to a country where living conditions remain extremely harsh.
For those who are deported, the journey back home often turns dangerous. Long bus rides on poorly maintained roads, overcrowded vehicles, and driver negligence make road accidents common in Afghanistan. The country has very weak traffic safety systems, and many highways are not in good condition. This makes traveling especially risky for people who have no choice but to take whatever transport is available to them. The Herat crash is one of the deadliest in recent months and has once again brought attention to the urgent need for road safety improvements.
For the families of the victims, the tragedy is heartbreaking. Many of them had already faced hardships while living in Iran, often working in low-paying jobs or struggling with legal uncertainty. Now, in their attempt to return home, they have lost loved ones in the worst possible way. Local reports say that several of the victims were children traveling with their parents after being deported. This has made the incident even more painful, as children are among the most vulnerable during forced migration.
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International organizations have been calling for more support for Afghanistan’s refugee crisis. They argue that sending back large numbers of people without proper planning only creates new humanitarian problems. With Afghanistan’s economy in crisis and basic services under strain, the country is unable to provide proper housing, education, or healthcare for returning migrants. This situation leaves many families stuck in poverty and vulnerable to further exploitation.
The Herat crash has added to growing pressure on the international community to act. Human rights groups insist that countries deporting Afghans should consider the risks and work with aid agencies to make returns safer. They also urge the Taliban authorities to improve road safety, enforce stricter rules for drivers, and repair dangerous highways to prevent such accidents from happening again.
As Afghanistan mourns the 79 lives lost in this crash, the broader problem of forced migration remains unresolved. Unless neighboring countries, international organizations, and Afghan authorities work together, such tragedies are likely to continue. For the families of the dead, however, the damage is already done. The accident has robbed them of parents, children, and loved ones—yet another reminder of how fragile life is for Afghan refugees caught between uncertain futures abroad and unsafe conditions at home.
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