KABUL, Feb. 7 (Xinhua) -- At least 12 people lost their lives and three others were seriously injured in a traffic accident in northern Afghanistan's Badakhshan province on Saturday, local officials said.
According to Ehsanullah Kamgar, spokesperson for Badakhshan Police, the accident occurred when a passenger vehicle traveling from Faizabad, the provincial capital city, to the district center of Arghanjkhwah veered off the road and fell into a ravine.
The victims included women and children, the official said, adding that the poor conditions of the mountainous road contributed to the crash.
Overloaded vehicles, inadequate road maintenance, and harsh weather often increase the risk of such accidents in the region. ■