Over the last four days, six provinces in Afghanistan have reported an alarming increase in traffic accidents resulting in at least 16 fatalities and 439 injuries.
According to data from the local government of the Islamic Emirate, the provinces affected include Nangarhar, Bamyan, Laghman, Faryab, Herat, and Ghazni.
Among the affected provinces, Herat has recorded the highest number of injuries with 97 accidents occurring on the first, second, and third days of Eid. Farhad Afzali, chief of Herat Hospital’s emergency room, reported over 60 accidents on the first day, 63 on the second, and 74 on the third, resulting in at least 220 injuries and one death.
Laghman and Nangarhar provinces have also reported 4 deaths and more than 121 injuries due to road accidents. Faryab has seen 4 fatalities and 11 injuries, while Bamyan and Ghazni have reported at least 8 deaths and 87 injuries each.
The main reasons behind the increase in traffic accidents are road breakdowns, overcrowding on Eid days, reckless driving by motorcyclists, failure to obey traffic signs, and speeding. The reports emphasize that Afghanistan needs to implement more stringent road safety measures urgently.