One worker has been killed and another injured in an explosion at a gemstone mine in Afghanistan’s northeastern Nuristan province, according to Taliban police.
Mohammad Hassan Saqib, spokesperson for the Taliban police command in Nuristan, said the incident occurred on Saturday afternoon, August 8, in the Pachigram area of Barg-i-Matal district.
According to Saqib, the two workers were attempting to detonate explosives inside the mine when the explosion occurred.
The Taliban identified the worker who died as Ghulam Mohammad, a resident of Nari district in neighboring Kunar province. The injured worker was also from Nari and had traveled to Nuristan with the victim for mining work.
The injured worker was taken to hospital for treatment. No further details have been released about his condition.
The incident highlights the risks faced by workers in Afghanistan’s mining sector, where reports of deadly accidents have emerged in recent years. The use of unsafe or non-standard extraction methods can increase the risk of explosions, tunnel collapses and other hazards for miners.
The circumstances surrounding the latest explosion have not been independently verified by NIMRUZ TV.
