Coal Mine Blast in Tajikistan’s Sughd Region Kills Six Afghan Workers

A tragic explosion at a coal mine in the Ayni district of Tajikistan’s Sughd region has claimed the lives of six Afghan workers.

All six men were inside the mine at the time of the blast, The Caspian Post reports via Iranian media.

Rescue operations are currently underway to recover the victims’ bodies from the debris. The identities of the deceased have not been officially released, but reports indicate that five were from Afghanistan’s Daikundi Province, and one was from Lal wa Sar Jangal District in Ghor Province. The incident occurred on November 3.

Hundreds of Afghan nationals work in Tajikistan’s coal mines, often under difficult and hazardous conditions.

This is not the first such incident in the region. In May 2025, another explosion at a coal mine in the Sughd region killed eight Afghan workers. The outlet Etilaatroz published their photos and names, reporting that all victims were residents of Daikundi Province. Sources at the time attributed the blast to gas accumulation inside the mine, and the victims’ bodies were returned to Afghanistan the following day.

Observers note that rising unemployment in Afghanistan continues forcing many citizens-especially young men-to seek manual labor jobs abroad, including in neighboring Tajikistan’s mining industry, where safety standards often remain a serious concern.