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Over $50 million damages incurred so far in massive border crossing fire
The enormous fire that destroyed more than 500 trucks at the Islam Qala port facility in Herat province, along the border with Iran, has left business owners reeling as financial losses are estimated to be over $50 million.
The massive fire burned for over 24 hours after a fuel tanker reportedly exploded at midday on Saturday.
Explosions continued for hours and two very large ones, just after 1 pm local time on Saturday, were seen from space, NASA reported.
The fire quickly spread through the facility destroying trucks and Herat officials, who were unable to bring the fire under control, eventually appealed to Iran for help.
Iranian firefighters managed to extinguish the blaze on Sunday afternoon, sources confirmed.
Health officials meanwhile said that at least 50 people who sustained burn wounds were transferred to hospitals in Iran.
The cause of the fire has not yet been established but officials said an investigating team has been assigned to the case.
Business owners however blasted the government on Sunday and said corruption among customs officials, the lack of standard regulations around vehicle checks, long border crossing processes and lack of facilities at the land port was of serious concern.
Younus Qazizada, the head of the Herat Chamber of Commerce and Industries, said the fire had caused millions of dollars in damage. “Preliminary investigations show that more than $50 million of damage has been caused by the fire so far,” he said.
The Islam Qala border crossing is around 120km west of the city of Herat and is a major transit route between Afghanistan and Iran.
The US allows Afghanistan to import fuel and oil from Iran as part of a special concession that exempts Kabul from US sanctions against Iran.
Zalmay Khalilzad, the former US special representative for Afghanistan, has questioned Pakistan’s commitment to the welfare of the Afghan people, citing Islamabad’s policies over the past three decades.
Khalilzad said in a post on X that Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif advocated for the rights of Afghan women during his speech at the UN General Assembly on Friday.
Sharif said: “Fundamental rights of the Afghan people — especially women and girls — must be respected.”
Responding to the remarks, Khalilzad said Pakistan’s policies over the past 30 years raise questions about Sharif’s commitment to Afghan welfare.
He cited Pakistan’s support for militant groups against US forces and what he described as the poor treatment of Afghan refugees as examples.
Khalilzad also said Afghanistan and Pakistan need and should have much better relations, adding that “a reset is necessary.”
India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri met with the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, Rabab Fatima, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.
Indian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a post on X that Misri underscored the need to keep addressing the humanitarian needs of the Afghan people as a priority.
Misri also appreciated the role of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) and reaffirmed India’s continued cooperation with the United Nations on Afghanistan.
The meeting comes as Afghanistan continues to face humanitarian and economic challenges, with international agencies warning of significant needs among the Afghan population.
Kazakhstan’s Foreign Minister Mukhtar Tileuberdi has called for pragmatic and coordinated international engagement with Afghanistan, saying the country’s long-term stability is closely linked to the security and sustainable development of Central Asia.
Speaking during the general debate of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Friday, Tileuberdi said humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan remains essential but alone cannot break the cycle of poverty, displacement and dependency.
He said Kazakhstan supports a “pragmatic, coordinated and step-by-step” approach to international engagement with Afghanistan, with the United Nations playing a central role.
Tileuberdi also said Kazakhstan is working with the UN to operationalize the United Nations Regional Centre for the Sustainable Development Goals for Central Asia and Afghanistan in Almaty.
He said the success of the centre should be measured by the results and assistance it delivers to the region.
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