KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – Three children were killed and two others injured when an unexploded mortar shell detonated in Afghanistan’s northern Balkh province, Taliban authorities said.
The Taliban police command in Balkh said the blast occurred in Nahri Shahi district on Wednesday after the children found the shell and began playing with it. The device exploded when they struck it with stones, killing three of them at the scene and wounding two others.
Afghanistan is among the countries most heavily contaminated by landmines, improvised explosive devices, and other remnants of war dating back to the Soviet invasion, the civil war, and the Taliban’s insurgency. The United Nations says roughly two-thirds of the country’s 401 districts are affected by explosive hazards.
According to UN, about 3 million people live within one kilometre of areas contaminated by mines or explosive remnants, placing entire communities at daily risk. Children face the highest risk, often encountering unexploded shells while playing outdoors or collecting firewood.
UNICEF says children account for about 85% of casualties from explosive ordnance in Afghanistan. In 2022 alone, more than 700 children were killed or maimed by unexploded ordnance and other remnants of conflict, averaging two child victims per day.
Meanwhile, international funding for mine clearance has declined in recent years. Several demining organizations reduced or halted operations after the Taliban took power in 2021, citing restrictions, operational challenges, and shrinking donor support.
The United Nations and humanitarian mine-action organizations continue to urge increased funding and sustained clearance efforts to prevent further civilian deaths and life-changing injuries, particularly among children.
