Truck crash in eastern Afghanistan kills 20 returnees from Pakistan

JALALABAD: A truck carrying Afghan families returning from Pakistan overturned in eastern Afghanistan on Saturday, killing 20 people and injuring 33 others, a provincial official said.

Abdul Malik Niazai, spokesperson for the governor of Laghman province, said the dead included five women, three men and 12 children. In a post on X, Taliban government spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said he was deeply saddened by the incident and prayed for the recovery of those injured.

The crash occurred on the road linking Jalalabad with Kabul. Families returning from Pakistan often travel with their belongings in trucks as Pakistan's tougher approach towards Afghan migrants and refugees has led to a continued outflow.

Figures from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the International Organisation for Migration show that 447,400 Afghans have returned from Pakistan since the start of the year. The returns have been driven by the Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Plan and border enforcement operations. In February, the UNHCR said it was still observing large numbers of Afghans returning or being forced back from neighbouring countries under extremely difficult circumstances.