At least seven people died and 14 were injured in a massive fire on the outskirts of Kabul triggered by exploding fuel tankers at the weekend, Afghan officials said.
Afghanistan's capital was plunged into darkness, except for the towering orange flames that were visible for miles across the city.
Sunday's blaze at the northern gate to Kabul is thought to have started as fuel tankers and goods trucks waited to be permitted entry to the city.
Firefighters battled the flames for nearly 12 hours before the fire was brought under control.
"The fire started at around 9pm last night and a major fire control operation was conducted until 2am, but it was close to morning when the fire was fully shut down," Interior Ministry spokesman Tariq Arian told The National.
People living in a nearby village heard a series of explosions before the flames reached their homes.
"We heard a big blast at around 8.30pm and, from then onward, we kept hearing consecutive blasts getting closer. By 9pm, the fire had reached our village," Mohammad Arif, a 34-year-old farmer from Kabul's Shakardara district told The National.
“Many of my relatives are severely injured. My daughter is also recovering from minor burns, but with so many serious injuries in our village, I haven’t even had the chance to go check on her,” he said, walking amid the ruins of his home and farms.
“We lost pretty much everything. We don’t even have a place to sleep tonight. I don’t know where to go.”
Vital local infrastructure, including power lines running into the city, were damaged in the blaze.
"Two major power lines in Qala-e-Murad Beg that bring imported electricity into Kabul were damaged as a result of the fires in the fuel tankers last night," Wahid Tawhidi, chief media director of state utility Da Afghanistan Breshna Sherkat, told The National.
“Our technical staff have worked relentlessly all night to fix the power lines and re-establish electricity supply to the affected provinces.”
Although the full extent of the damage has yet to be assessed, witnesses claim that up to 100 fuel trucks may have been caught fire.
“Last night I saw the bodies of more than 10 tanker drivers, but the government is insisting that the total death toll is far less. They’re lying. If we want exact figures, I will take you to the bodies,” said Mr Arif, the farmer.
“This is not the first such incident, and they never learn,” he said, referring to two similar fuel tanker explosions earlier this year.
Large fires broke out at the Islam Qala border crossing in western Afghanistan in February and at a fuel depot in Farah province in April.
The Afghan government said neither of the incidents were caused by terrorist attacks or sabotage, and local people are questioning its ability to manage crucial infrastructure safely.
“Who is holding them accountable for all these repeated fires, the damage and destruction?” Mr Arif said.
“They haven’t even offered us any support or help. At the end of the day, poor people like us have to pay the price for the government's mistakes and inefficiency.”
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Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
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