Kabul – At least 79 people, including 17 children, were killed when an overcrowded bus carrying Afghan refugees expelled from Iran collided with a truck and motorcycle on the Herat–Kabul highway, officials confirmed on Wednesday.

The accident occurred late Tuesday about 30 minutes outside Herat city, a key province bordering Iran and Turkmenistan. The impact caused the bus to catch fire, leaving behind only a charred metal frame. Video footage showed flames engulfing the vehicle as emergency crews tried to extinguish the blaze.

Refugees Among Victims

Authorities said the passengers were Afghan migrants who had recently been deported from Iran and were travelling from the border toward Kabul. Herat province has been struggling to cope with the influx of tens of thousands of returnees in recent weeks.

Common but Deadly Road Accidents

Traffic accidents are frequent in Afghanistan due to poor infrastructure, lack of road safety enforcement, and decades of conflict that have weakened the country’s transport systems.

Interior Ministry spokesman Abdul Mateen Qaniee confirmed the death toll and said investigations are underway. Taliban government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid urged transportation authorities to provide a detailed report on the cause of the tragedy and to identify those responsible.

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