KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – At least 30 people were killed and around 155 others injured in 80 traffic accidents across Afghanistan during the four days of Eid al-Fitr holidays, according to Taliban authorities.
In a statement released on Friday, the Taliban’s General Directorate of Traffic Police stated that the fatalities included 19 men, two women, and nine children, while the injuries involved 117 men, eight women, and 30 children.
The directorate, however, did not provide further details, including the causes of the incidents or the provinces where they occurred.
Traffic accidents have long been a significant issue in Afghanistan, resulting in hundreds of fatalities each year. The causes of these accidents are often attributed to poor road conditions, driver negligence, and a failure to adhere to traffic regulations.
Since the Taliban’s return to power in August 2021, the number of traffic accidents has escalated sharply. A report by Etilaat Roz last year highlighted a fivefold increase in such incidents over this period.
According to the report, based on Taliban data, the number of accidents surged from 1,187 in the solar year 1400 (March 2021 to March 2022) to 2,662 in the following year, and reached at least 5,520 in the solar year 1402 (March 2023 to March 2024), marking a 78.5% increase over two years.
The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that over 4,700 people die annually in road traffic accidents in Afghanistan. Road traffic injuries are also the leading cause of death among women, children, and young adults in the country.
