KABUL, Afghanistan — Two young men died after being caught in an avalanche while traveling in the northeastern province of Badakhshan, a Taliban official said on Saturday.
Ehsanullah Kamgar, a spokesperson for the Taliban’s police command in Badakhshan, identified the victims as Abdul Hai, 22, and Saifullah, 18. The men, both residents of Jaru Payan village in Khowahan District, were undertaking a two-day journey from their home to the village of Safid Sangaan when the avalanche struck.
The Taliban official said heavy snowfall in the region triggered the avalanche that buried the men along the mountain path. Local residents worked for several days to recover their bodies, eventually returning them to their families.
Heavy snowfall has severely impacted travel in other parts of Afghanistan as well. On Saturday, Taliban officials reported that key routes connecting Bamiyan to Daikundi and Kabul had been closed due to the harsh weather conditions.
