At least 18 Afghan migrants lost their lives early Saturday morning when truck they were travelling in overturned in Laghman province,and among them were ten children and five women . That detail alone makes whole thing feel even heavier.
As per local media outlet Amu TV,the accident happened around 5:30 AM local time near Surkhkanu intersection in Qarghayi district,on Kabul–Jalalabad highway . These were Afghan migrants who had just returned from Pakistan,where many had been living as undocumented migrants .
Taliban officials said these people were temporarily housed in Kunar province and were going towards Kabul when vehicle overturned . Imagine returning after such uncertainty,and then this happens on road only.
According to statement from Taliban governor’s office in Laghman,“18 people were killed, and 35 others were injured in crash,” and injured were shifted to medical facilities in Nangarhar for urgent care . 35 injured is not small thing ah,especially when many families are already exhausted from travel and displacement .
Few things standing out clearly in this situation:
- Over 4,000 deported daily from Pakistan as Afghanistan sees surge in returnees
- Public services,especially in eastern provinces,are getting overwhelmed by influx
- Between January and May,over 3.5 million individuals returned,including 487,000 families
And tbh,this is not just one road accident story . It is also about people moving in huge numbers,under pressure,with weak systems trying to handle more than they probably can rn.
The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) reported that from April 26 to May 9,around 114,321 individuals returned to Afghanistan,including deportees and voluntary returnees . International organizations have already raised alarms about impact on Afghanistan’s infrastructure,especially because many returnees are women and children.
Cause of accident is still unclear,but conditions around these journeys feel worrying . The Taliban has been intensifying efforts to repatriate undocumented Afghan migrants from neighbouring countries,particularly Pakistan,and Afghan government now faces growing humanitarian needs around transport,settlement and basic safety.
But when people who are already returning with so much fear and uncertainty are dying before even reaching destination,what exactly is waiting for thousands of others still on same roads…
