KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – The HALO Trust, an international demining organization, reports that more than 65 square kilometers of land in Afghanistan are contaminated by landmines and other explosive remnants of war.
In a report released on Monday, the organization stated that the new figure marks an increase from 53 square kilometers by the end of 2022, with contamination identified across 26 of Afghanistan’s 34 provinces.
Founded over 30 years ago, The HALO Trust operates in conflict-affected countries, including Afghanistan, clearing landmines, unexploded ordnance, and Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs).
According to the report, 60 countries and territories are currently grappling with landmine contamination, with Afghanistan being one of the four most severely affected.
“The HALO Trust works in one third of them, including the four countries listed as having ‘massive contamination.’ These are: Afghanistan, where HALO employs 2,235 deminers; Cambodia, where HALO has 1,191 staff; Iraq, where HALO employs 83 staff and Ukraine, where HALO has 1,376 staff,” the organization said.
The CEO of HALO Trust, James Cowan, was quoted in the report, highlighting that the new data serves as a wake-up call for the world amid escalating conflict.
“There can be no recovery from war or sanctuary for the displaced until explosive weapons are cleared and destroyed. Until this work is done, thousands of civilians continue to live in fear,” he said.
After enduring decades of war and political unrest, particularly the Taliban insurgency, Afghanistan remains one of the world’s most heavily contaminated areas with remnants of war, including landmines and unexploded ordnance.
The UN previously reported that two-thirds of Afghanistan is affected by explosives, with around 3 million people living within a 1-kilometer radius of mines, improvised explosive devices (IEDs), and other remnants of war.
Each year, hundreds of people in Afghanistan die or suffer life-changing injuries from landmines and other remnants of war. Children are particularly vulnerable, as they often unintentionally step on landmines or pick up unexploded ordnance scattered around the areas where they live or play.
According to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), at least 640 children were killed or injured in 541 incidents involving explosive remnants of war and landmines across Afghanistan from January 2022 to June 2023.
Meanwhile, organizations working on mine clearance, risk education, and assistance for survivors report a significant funding shortfall in recent years, leading several to cease or downgrade their operations.
