At least 24 people, including women and children, were killed in a traffic accident in the Sayyad district of northern Sar-e-Pol province on Wednesday, according to local Taliban officials.
The incident occurred when a passenger van veered off its intended route and overturned on the main road between Alto and Khwaja Yagana villages, as reported by the office of the Taliban governor in Sar-e-Pol.
The accident resulted in the deaths of 12 women, four men, and eight children, with one woman sustaining injuries. The injured woman was transported to a hospital in the Sayyad district.
Local Taliban officials have attributed the accident to the driver’s negligence. They said that the driver was speeding and lost control of the vehicle while trying to avoid a collision with another car.
In a separate incident, Taliban officials in northeastern Kapisa province have reported the death of an 11-year-old child in a traffic accident on Tuesday night. The collision occurred between a Toyota Corolla and a motorcycle.
The child was riding on the back of the motorcycle when it was struck by the car. The child was pronounced dead at the scene.
Traffic accidents have seen a significant increase throughout the country in recent months. Factors such as poor road conditions, driver negligence, and failure to comply with driving regulations contribute to these incidents.
The Taliban government has pledged to take steps to improve road safety, but it remains to be seen if these measures will be effective.
