A tragic incident in the village of Gulistan, located in the Yaftal Payan district of Badakhshan province, has left one worker dead following the collapse of a gold mine, local officials reported on Thursday.

The police command in Badakhshan confirmed that the collapse trapped three workers under the rubble. Despite the efforts of local residents who assisted in the rescue operations, only two of the workers were saved, while one worker succumbed to the incident.

This collapse is the latest in a series of accidents attributed to unregulated and unsafe mining practices in the region. Such incidents have raised serious concerns about the dangers posed by unlicensed mining operations in Badakhshan.

In 2024, the country witnessed multiple mine collapses resulting in several fatalities. In September, a landslide at a gold mine in Badakhshan claimed the lives of at least three miners. The following month, another gold mine collapse in the same province resulted in three more deaths. Additionally, in December, a coal mine disaster in Samangan trapped 35 workers, though the exact number of casualties remained unclear.

With limited oversight and inadequate safety standards, mining accidents continue to pose significant risks to workers in Afghanistan’s resource-rich but fragile economy. The recurring incidents underscore the urgent need for improved regulations and safety measures to protect the lives of miners. (ILKHA)