A highway collision involving two buses and a fuel tanker in eastern Afghanistan has left at least 50 people dead and 73 injured. The cause of the crash was not immediately clear.
The crash happened at around 7 a.m local time (0230 UTC) on Sunday on the main highway linking the Afghan capital, Kabul, to the southern city of Kandahar. All three vehicles reportedly set ablaze following the collision.
Representing the governor of Afghanistan’s eastern Ghanzi province spokesman Jawed Salangi said another 73 people who were also on the bus were “seriously wounded” in the incident.
“Up to 52” people, including women and children, were killed in the crash, Salangi said, with the death poll expected to rise.
Although the cause of the collision was not immediately clear, director of the provincial traffic department Mohammadullah Ahmadi blamed the accident on reckless driving.
Road accidents are a common occurence in Afghanistan, where roads are often in poor condition and traffic laws are rarely enforced.
ksb/rc (AP, dpa)
