Collapse of Tovah Tash Bridge Cuts Off Dozens of Villages in Takhar Province

Residents of Rustaq district in Takhar province report that the Tovah Tash bridge, a vital passage in the area, has been completely destroyed due to unregulated gold mining and recent flooding. With the bridge’s collapse, access routes connecting dozens of villages to the Rustaq district center and Taloqan city, the provincial capital, have been severed.

This bridge played a crucial role in the daily commute of locals, providing access to markets, health centers, and other essential services. According to local sources, residents now have to take difficult secondary routes, extending their travel time from less than an hour to over five hours to reach Taloqan.

Residents warn that this situation poses serious challenges for patients needing hospital services and disrupts daily life. They add that unregulated mining activities over recent years have been carried out without effective oversight, raising concerns about environmental impacts and the destruction of infrastructure.

Several days after the incident, neither the local Taliban administration nor the gold mining companies have issued any official statement. The lack of accountability and transparent supervision of mining activities raises questions about the responsibility of relevant authorities regarding public infrastructure.