Afghan official: 11 die in road accident in eastern province

Kabul: Eleven people died when a truck crashed into a minivan on a highway in eastern Afghanistan, a police official said Friday.

Laghman police chief Salim Almas said the truck driver apparently lost control of his vehicle, a 40-foot trailer truck.

The accident took place on Thursday on a highway linking the capital, Kabul, with eastern Nangarhar province.

The 11 dead were all from the the minivan, 10 passengers, including women and children, and the driver. The truck driver survived.

Traffic accidents are common in Afghanistan, where roads are often in poor condition, mostly unpaved, and drivers are careless. Traffic laws are rarely enforced.

In another accident, 10 people were injured in a car pileup on Friday in northern Baghlan province. Wais Samimi, the provincial police chief, says careless driving on a frozen road caused the accident.