Local sources told Etilaatroz that six Afghan workers were killed in a coal mine explosion in Tajikistan’s Sughd province.
According to the sources, five of the victims were residents of Daikundi (a central province of Afghanistan) province in Afghanistan, while one was from Lal wa Sarjangal district in Ghor (a western-central province of Afghanistan) province.
The explosion reportedly occurred yesterday afternoon in a coal mine located in the Ayni district of Sughd province. A source said that six workers were inside the tunnel at the time of the blast.
Another source confirmed that all six miners lost their lives and that their bodies have not yet been recovered from the tunnel. The exact identities of the victims remain unknown.
Earlier this year, in May, eight Afghan workers – all from Daikundi province – were killed in a similar explosion in the same region.
Sources say that hundreds of Afghan nationals are employed in Tajikistan’s coal mines. A contractor familiar with the situation accused mining companies of negligence and disregard for worker’s safety.
One of the miners said they are not allowed to file complaints or speak to the media. “If we complain, we are fined or deported from Tajikistan,” he said.
Due to widespread unemployment in Afghanistan, many citizens – particularly young men – migrate to neighboring countries in search of work, often taking on dangerous and physically demanding jobs such as mining.
