KABUL, April 7 (Bernama-Xinhua) -- The main highway linking the Afghan capital Kabul to the northern region of the country and onward to the Central Asian states has been shut down due to heavy snowfall in the mountainous Salang Pass, according to the Bakhtar news agency on Tuesday, reported Xinhua.
Citing Mohammad Ashraf Haqshinas, spokesman for the Public Works Ministry, the official media outlet added that the Salang highway has remained closed to traffic since last night due to heavy snowfall, windstorms and fog, and called on drivers to avoid using the route until further notice.
The Salang Tunnel, situated 3,000 metres above sea level in the Hindu Kush mountains and connecting Kabul to the nine northern provinces and onward to Central Asia, serves as a vital lifeline in Afghanistan.
In addition, the road linking Kabul to the eastern provinces of Nangarhar, Laghman, Kunar and Nuristan has remained closed to traffic over the past four days.
-- BERNAMA-XINHUA
