Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has condemned the killing of four farm workers in southern Italy, describing the crime as “horrific” and pledging that those responsible will be brought to justice.

In a statement posted on social media platform X on Wednesday, Meloni said the murders in the Calabria region had “shocked us all” and welcomed the arrests made in connection with the case.

She said investigators were able to identify suspects partly through evidence gathered from surveillance cameras installed in the area where the killings occurred.

The prime minister expressed her condolences to the victims’ families and stressed the need for a thorough investigation into the crime.

“Italy does not back down in the face of violence and barbarity. It is essential to shed ​full light on this terrible crime and bring all those responsible to justice,” she said.

The migrants were found on Monday in a burned-out van parked in a petrol station in Amendolara, in the southern region of Calabria. Surveillance cameras showed two people setting the car alight with their victims still alive inside. Three of the ​dead were fellow ⁠Afghans, while the fourth was Pakistani

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Emirate has called on Italian authorities to bring to justice those responsible for the incident.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Emirate has called on Italian authorities to bring to justice those responsible for an incident in which three Afghan migrants lost their lives after a vehicle was deliberately set on fire at a gas station in Amendolara, located in the Calabria region of southern Italy.

Abdul Qahar Balkhi, spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said in a statement that the Islamic Emirate urges the Italian authorities to arrest those responsible for the incident and take the necessary measures to ensure justice and safeguard the rights of the victims and their families.

Balkhi also stressed the importance of protecting the lives, dignity, security, and fundamental rights of Afghan migrants residing in Italy and other countries. He expressed hope that effective measures would be taken to prevent the recurrence of such tragic incidents.

Zalmay Khalilzad has said that deeper integration in transportation, communications and energy networks between Central and South Asia could be transformative for the region, fostering both economic prosperity and long-term stability.

Khalilzad made the remarks ahead of the second Termez Dialogue, which is scheduled to open in Uzbekistan on Thursday. The forum will bring together government officials, policymakers and regional experts to discuss cooperation, trade and connectivity across the broader region.

“Increased transportation, communication and energy connectivity between Central and South Asia can help transform both regions, creating more security and prosperity,” Khalilzad wrote on X. “I wish the participants of the Termez meeting every success.”

His comments come as regional countries continue to explore ways to strengthen economic links and improve trade corridors connecting Central and South Asia, with Afghanistan, which is widely viewed as a key transit route between the two regions.

The initiative also coincides with ongoing efforts by the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) to expand the country’s regional economic ties and enhance connectivity with neighbouring states.

Since returning to power in 2021, the Islamic Emirate has repeatedly emphasized trade, transit and infrastructure development as central pillars of its economic agenda, arguing that Afghanistan’s strategic location positions it to serve as a bridge between Central and South Asia.

Afghan officials have consistently promoted regional integration through transport, energy and trade projects aimed at increasing commercial activity, facilitating the movement of goods and people, and attracting investment. The Islamic Emirate has maintained that improved connectivity is essential to boosting economic growth, creating employment opportunities and strengthening Afghanistan’s role as a regional transit hub.

The Termez Dialogue is expected to focus on practical measures to enhance regional cooperation, with connectivity, trade and economic integration among the key issues on the agenda.