Reports from the eastern province of Nangarhar indicate that an explosion of a mortar shell in Kot district claimed the life of a six-year-old child and injured his eight-year-old sister on Thursday.
The Taliban local officials confirmed the incident stating that the explosion occurred while the children were playing with the mortar that was left behind from the war. The injured child was transferred to the Nangarhar provincial hospital for necessary medical treatment.
According to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), a total of 995 individuals were killed or injured due to mines and unexploded ordnance in 2022.
The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) reported in March that more than 700 children were killed or maimed because of unexploded ordnance and war remnant in the year 2022 across the country.
According to the UN, Afghanistan has one of the highest levels of explosive ordnance contamination in the world and US$18.3 million is needed for survey, explosive ordnance disposal and landmine clearance in 2023.
