A traffic accident occurred on the Almaty–Yekaterinburg highway in Kazakhstan on the morning of May 20: a Ford Transit vehicle collided with a DAF truck.  There were 10 foreign nationals in the vehicle, six of whom died at the scene.  Another five with various injuries were taken to the Karabalyk district hospital, says the press service of the Kostanay Region Police Department of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

The nationality of the victims was not specified.  The Kostanay police department said that the identities of the passengers are not being disclosed due to the start of a criminal investigation under Article 345 (4) of Kazakhstan’s Penal Code -- violation of traffic rules or operation of vehicles causing by negligence the death of two or more persons..

However, Radio Liberty’s Tajik Service, known locally Radio Ozodi, reports that all the passengers were residents of the Qubodiyon District of Tajikistan’s Khatlon Province.  They were on their way to Russia.

According to the Embassy of Tajikistan in Kazakhstan, the following died in the accident:

• Akhtam Karimov, 36 years old;
• Nazrullo Boqiyev, 24 years old;
• Bakhtigul Boqiyeva, 40 years old;
• Yusuf Solehov, 67 years old;
• Fayoziddin Solehzoda, 35 years old
• Makhmadyunus Aminzoda, 33 years old.

The embassy noted that Tajik diplomats "are in contact with representatives of the Tajik community in Kostanay regarding this incident and have expressed their readiness to provide legal assistance and address other ongoing issues."

"The embassy is monitoring this terrible tragedy and will provide additional information as it becomes available," the diplomatic mission said.

Citizens of Tajikistan traveling to work in Russia often use ground transport routes through Kazakhstan to save money.

In early April, more than 500 citizens of Tajikistan were stuck at the Zhaysan/Sagarchin border crossing point (BCP) on the Kazakhstan-Russia border—they were not allowed entry by Russian border guards.  Some were traveling from Tajikistan to Russia in private cars.