KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has condemned the deaths of four migrant workers who were burned to death in southern Italy, including three Afghan nationals, calling it a “horrific murder,” and vowed that all those responsible will be brought to justice.
The victims were discovered inside a burned vehicle at a fuel station in Italy’s Calabria region on Tuesday, June 2, according to Italian police. A fifth Afghan man survived the attack after breaking the vehicle’s window to escape.
The deceased were identified as Afghan nationals Amin Afzal Khogyani, 28, Safi Ejad, 27, and Esmatullah Qaemi, 19, along with Pakistani national Waseem Khan, 29. All four were employed as agricultural workers in the area.
In a statement posted on X, Prime Minister Meloni said she was “deeply shocked” by the incident. “Italy will not retreat in the face of violence and barbarity,” she declared, adding that her government’s priority is to “shed full light on this terrible crime” and ensure full accountability.
“My thoughts go to the victims and their families,” Meloni added.
Italian prosecutors believe the victims were deliberately trapped inside the vehicle before it was set on fire. Surveillance footage from the scene enabled authorities to quickly identify and arrest two Pakistani nationals suspected of involvement in the killings.
The Taliban’s foreign ministry also condemned the killings as “cruel,” “painful,” and “inhuman,” urging Italian authorities to conduct a thorough investigation and bring the perpetrators to justice.
The exact motive behind the attack remains unclear.
The incident has renewed scrutiny over long-standing issues of labour exploitation in Italy’s agricultural sector, particularly in southern regions. Human rights groups and labour unions have highlighted that thousands of migrant workers, including refugees and asylum seekers from Asia and Africa, often face poor working conditions, low wages, and limited legal protections, making them vulnerable to abuse by illegal recruitment networks.
