KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reports that at least 1,401 people were killed or injured by explosive remnants of war in Afghanistan between January 2022 and February 2024.
In a statement on the International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action, OCHA highlighted that explosive hazards are the second leading cause of civilian casualties in Afghanistan.
“Almost 4 million people are exposed to the constant risk of being harmed, with an estimated 1.2 million m2 of land contaminated by mines, improvised explosive devices and ERW,” the UN agency said.
Affected by decades of conflict and violence, especially the Taliban insurgency over the last two decades, Afghanistan remains one of the world’s most contaminated places with remnants of war, mostly landmines and unexploded ordnance.
Children have been particularly vulnerable to fatal or life-changing injuries as they unintentionally step on landmines or pick up unexploded ordnance littered around the places they stay or play.
The UN said that around 86% of the casualties were children.
In 2022, UNICEF reported that more than 700 children were killed or maimed due to unexploded ordnance and remnants of war, an average of two children every day.
During the past week, Taliban authorities reported that landmines and unexploded ordnance had killed at least 11 children and injured five others in Ghazni and Herat provinces.
Marking the day, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres emphasized that landmines, explosive ordnance, and remnants of war directly threaten millions of people caught up in armed conflicts, from Afghanistan to Sudan, Ukraine to Gaza.
“Country by country, community by community, let’s rid the world of these weapons—once and for all,” the UN chief said.
The UN mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) says that mines and unexploded ordnance are still scattered throughout Afghanistan, posing a threat to the lives of the country’s citizens, especially children.
In a social media statement, UNAMA highlighted that over decades of conflict in Afghanistan, nearly 45,000 individuals have been killed and injured in mine explosions. The UN office appealed for assistance in raising awareness regarding the hazards posed by mines and explosive remnants of war, as well as support for demining efforts in the country.
Meanwhile, OCHA also says that Afghanistan’s mine action sector faces a significant funding shortfall. “Of the 4.4 million people who need mine action services in 2023, only 14 per cent received assistance.”
According to the UN agency, the initiatives most impacted include mine clearance, risk education, and survivors’ assistance. Some projects have halted altogether, while others have secured funding only until August 2024.
