In brief
In Laghman province, a Hino truck collided with a returning rickshaw, killing two people and injuring three, police said Sunday night. The incident was attributed to reckless driving and the victims were taken to the provincial hospital. The event underlines ongoing safety concerns on Afghanistan’s roads.
Authorities in Afghanistan’s Laghman province reported a fatal highway collision on Sunday evening, November 2, that killed two people and left three others wounded. The incident involved a Hino truck and a rickshaw traveling in opposite directions on the Kabul‑to‑eastern provinces highway, along the Azizkhan Kas segment, according to the provincial police office.
The police statement said that the rickshaw was coming from the opposite direction when the Hino truck struck it. The collision occurred at a spot on the highway that links the capital Kabul to the eastern provinces of the country.
Investigators cited reckless driving as the main cause of the crash, the police office added. “Reckless driving was the primary cause of the incident,” the statement read, pointing to the drivers’ failure to observe traffic regulations.
Injured passengers were transported to the Laghman provincial hospital for treatment. Although the news outlet did not provide the specific injuries sustained, it noted that the victims were taken promptly to medical care after the accident.
The incident highlights the persistent issue of deadly road accidents in Afghanistan, where deteriorating road conditions, reckless driving, and limited safety infrastructure continue to pose risks for commuters. In many parts of the country, road safety measures remain inadequate amid challenging terrain and ongoing security concerns.
War‑torn Afghanistan faces an ongoing challenge of maintaining road safety, as the infrastructure has suffered from years of conflict, and many roads lack proper signage, lighting and maintenance. Crossing such highways carries risk, especially for small vehicles such as rickshaws that often share the route with larger commercial trucks.
While authorities scrambled to provide aid to the victims, officials reiterated the need for stricter traffic enforcement. The police office did not specify any subsequent disciplinary actions against the drivers involved in the crash. The incident is a stark reminder of the long‑standing road safety problems that affect everyday travel in the region.