KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – A landmine explosion near the Abu Nasr Farahi border crossing in Farah province, southwestern Afghanistan, has killed three young men and injured two others, local sources reported.
The blast occurred on Monday afternoon when a vehicle struck a mine left from past conflicts in the area, according to sources.
Further details about the incident remain unclear, and the local Taliban authorities have not yet commented.
Afghanistan remains one of the world’s most heavily contaminated countries with remnants of war, including landmines and unexploded ordnance, after decades of conflict, including the Taliban insurgency over the last two decades.
The United Nations reported in 2023 that nearly 57,000 civilians have been killed or injured in Afghanistan due to landmines and explosive remnants of war since 1989.
Children are particularly vulnerable, often stepping on landmines or picking up unexploded ordnance in areas where they live and play. The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) reported that more than 500 children were killed or injured by explosions from leftover ordnance in Afghanistan in 2024 alone.
Earlier this month, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) requested $21.9 million to support mine clearance and risk education in Afghanistan this year. The agency highlighted that over 3.3 million people live within one kilometer of hazardous areas. However, humanitarian funding for demining has faced significant shortfalls in recent years, affecting efforts to clear mines across the country.
