QARGHAYI DISTRICT, LAGHMAN PROVINCE — At least 18 people, including 10 children, were killed when a cargo truck carrying recently returned Afghan refugees from Pakistan overturned on a major highway in eastern Afghanistan. The crash occurred in the Qarghayi district of Laghman province on Saturday, 30 May 2026.

The vehicle veered off the road at approximately 5:30 a.m. local time (01:00 GMT) near the Surkhakan intersection in Qarghayi district. According to provincial Director of Public Health Aminullah Sharif, the accident occurred when the truck fell into a ditch after the driver fell asleep.

More than 30 other passengers were injured, some critically, Abdul Malik Niazay, spokesperson for the Laghman provincial governor, said.

The families had been temporarily staying in eastern Kunar province and were en route to Kabul. Emergency services transferred the wounded to medical facilities in Nangarhar province, where several remain in intensive care.

Taliban government spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said in a post on X that he was “deeply saddened by the tragedy which took place at the end of the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha. We pray for the speedy recovery of the injured.”

The National Disaster Management Authority announced 730,000 afghanis ($10,000) in emergency financial assistance for the affected families.

More than 447,000 Afghans have crossed back from Pakistan in 2026 following a sustained crackdown on undocumented migrants by Islamabad, according to United Nations figures. International aid groups warn that forced expulsions are compelling families to travel in hazardous, packed commercial cargo trucks.