Coal mine collapse kills 10 in Afghanistan

At least 10 miners died in Afghanistan after being trapped underground when a coal mine collapsed in the northern province of Baghlan, an official said on Thursday.

Thirteen workers were trapped when the mine caved in on Wednesday and only three were rescued alive, said provincial information director Asadullah Hashemi.

There is scant oversight of Afghanistan's mining industry and deadly accidents are common.

A tribal elder from the area said many experienced miners fled the country when the Taliban took power in August, and their replacements lack training.

In June 2020 seven workers were killed after a gas blast caused a cave-in at a mine in the northern province of Samangan.

A year earlier, at least 30 people died when a gold mine collapsed in Badakhshan province.

Afghanistan also mines talc, iron and marble, but workers often operate in rudimentary pits without proper equipment or safety gear.

Source: AFP