A horrific bus crash has claimed 79 lives, including 19 children. See the video further down this report.
Story Highlights
- 79 Afghan deportees killed, including 19 children, in fiery bus crash in Herat province.
- Victims were recently expelled from Iran as part of a mass deportation campaign affecting 1.8 million Afghans.
- Crash highlights Afghanistan’s crumbling infrastructure and lack of transportation safety regulations.
- Iran’s forced expulsion policies create a humanitarian crisis, putting families at extreme risk.
Deadly Crash Claims Dozens of Deportees
On August 19, 2025, at approximately 8:30 p.m. local time, a bus carrying Afghan migrants recently deported from Iran collided with a truck and motorcycle in Herat province’s Guzara district.
The collision sparked a massive fire that killed at least 79 people, including 19 children, making it one of Afghanistan’s deadliest road accidents in recent history. Two to three people suffered serious injuries in the crash.
Iran’s Mass Deportation Campaign Creates Humanitarian Crisis
The tragedy underscores the dangerous reality facing Afghan migrants as Iran and Pakistan accelerate their expulsion campaigns. Since early 2025, these neighboring countries have forcibly returned over 1.8 million Afghans, citing concerns about illegal residency.
Iran’s aggressive deportation policies have created a constant flow of vulnerable migrants traveling on Afghanistan’s notoriously dangerous roads, often in overcrowded vehicles with minimal safety standards.
Afghanistan’s Infrastructure Failures Compound Tragedy
The bus crash occurred on roads plagued by poor conditions, inadequate maintenance, and a complete lack of traffic regulation enforcement.
Afghanistan’s transportation infrastructure remains severely underdeveloped after decades of conflict, with frequent accidents claiming lives due to dangerous driving practices and vehicle safety violations.
In December 2024 alone, two separate bus accidents in central Afghanistan killed at least 52 people, demonstrating the ongoing pattern of preventable transportation disasters.
Ministry of Interior spokesperson Abdul Mateen Qani confirmed the casualty figures, while the Herat provincial government highlighted the significant number of child victims.
The Taliban government has criticized Iran’s mass expulsions as creating humanitarian concerns, though its capacity to address infrastructure needs and migrant support remains severely limited.
International Agencies Demand Protection for Vulnerable Children
Save the Children emphasized the particular vulnerability of child migrants and called for urgent protection measures following the crash.
The organization noted that children comprise a significant portion of deportees facing hazardous journeys and uncertain futures upon return to Afghanistan.
UN migration agencies have highlighted the scale of forced returns and associated risks, warning of a growing humanitarian crisis as mass deportations continue without adequate safety provisions or support systems.
The incident has intensified scrutiny of both Afghanistan’s transportation safety standards and Iran’s deportation policies that force families onto dangerous routes. Emergency response efforts are underway while investigations into the crash continue.
However, calls for improved road safety and migrant protection face significant obstacles given Afghanistan’s limited resources and ongoing political instability.
Sources:
Afghanistan bus crash dozens dead migrants just back from Iran
Afghanistan least 17 children among dead bus crash carrying returnees Iran
