According to provincial officials, spokesperson for the Herat provincial government, Mohammad Yousuf Saeedi, confirmed the grim figures.

He further stated that three others were seriously injured in the incident.

The collision occurred in night in the Guzara district, just outside Herat city, when the bus collided with a motorcycle and a fuel truck, igniting a fire.

The bus was transporting Afghans who had recently returned to Kabul after spending time in Iran.

The UN migration agency, reported that over 1.5 million people have returned to Afghanistan this year from Iran and Pakistan, as both countries have intensified efforts to repatriate migrants.

The state run Bakhtar-News Agency noted that this incident is among the deadliest traffic accidents in Afghanistan in recent years.

Traffic fatalities are frequent in the country, often attributed to poor road conditions, reckless driving and insufficient regulations.

In December, two separate bus accidents on a central Afghan highway resulted at least 52 deaths.