KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – A child was killed and six other people, including women and children, were injured when a mortar shell left over from past conflicts exploded in eastern Afghanistan’s Kunar province, local sources and Taliban authorities said on Tuesday.
According to local sources, the incident took place on Tuesday afternoon in Nurgal district, a mountainous area near the Afghanistan–Pakistan border, and those injured were transported to Kunar’s provincial hospital for treatment.
Farid Dehqan, a spokesman for the Taliban security command in Kunar, confirmed the incident and said the explosion happened when children were playing with the unexploded mortar shell. He said one child was killed at the scene and several others were wounded.
Explosive remnants of war, including landmines and unexploded shells, continue to pose a serious threat to civilians across Afghanistan, particularly children who often mistake the devices for toys or scrap metal.
Decades of conflict have left large parts of the country contaminated with unexploded ordnance. The United Nations says Afghanistan is among the most mine-affected countries in the world, with millions of people living near contaminated areas.
According to UN estimates, more than six million people in Afghanistan are exposed to the risk of landmines and unexploded munitions, with children accounting for the majority of casualties.
The UN Secretary General has repeatedly warned that unexploded ordnance remains a major humanitarian challenge in Afghanistan and has called for increased funding for mine clearance and risk education to prevent further civilian casualties.
