25 workers killed in Afghanistan coal mine collapse

At least 25 workers have been killed and 15 others injured when a coal mine collapsed in Afghanistan’s central province of Samangan, Press TV reports.

Mohammad Seddiq Azizi, a spokesman for the provincial governor, said the accident took place at Abkhorak mine in the Ruyi Du Ab district of the province, located more than 200 kilometers (124 miles) northwest of Kabul, on Saturday afternoon.

He added that rescuers are battling against the odds to reach the miners trapped underground.

There are reports that 25 of the miners have been so far found dead.

The cave-in is the latest accident to hit Afghanistan’s mining industry.

Last December, eleven miners were killed in a similar incident in the northern province of Baghlan.

Mining in Afghanistan is controlled by the Ministry of Mines and Petroleum.

The Asian country reportedly has over 1,400 mineral fields, containing coal, copper, gold, iron ore, lead, precious and semiprecious stones, zinc and many other minerals.