Road Accidents In Afghanistan Increased 'Five-Fold' Since Taliban’s Return

The emergency hospital in Kabul reported that since August 2021, the total number of road accidents in Afghanistan has increased fivefold.

According to statistics recorded between March 2022 and March 2024, there has been a 78.5% increase in road accidents in Afghanistan.

The report, published on Thursday, December 20, states that the number of accidents has increased from 2,662 to 5,520 during this period.

With the official end of hostilities, many roads have been reopened, however, most remain in war-like conditions and need to be rebuilt, the hospital said.

In addition to poor road conditions and high speeds, many accidents are also caused by landslides on the road and non-compliance with traffic regulations.

The report states that in Afghanistan, passengers often do not have suitable vehicles, and widespread poverty means that large numbers of people gather in one vehicle to travel long distances.

The report follows two traffic accidents on the Kabul-Kandahar highway, which according to the Taliban, left 52 people dead.

Emergency is an international humanitarian organisation that provides free medical treatment to victims of war, poverty, and landmines. The organisation was founded in 1994.

Since its establishment, the organisation has treated more than nine million patients. Most of its activities are in Afghanistan, the Central African Republic, Iraq, Italy, Sudan and Uganda.