Ten miners die in coal mine collapse in Afghanistan

KABUL: Ten miners died in Afghanistan after being trapped underground when a coal mine collapsed in the northern province of Baghlan, an official said Thursday. Thirteen workers were trapped when the mine caved in 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.