KABUL (Pajhwok): Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Dr. Abdullah Abdullah on Sunday said demining was a priority of the government because landmines and IEDs killed or maimed more than 100 Afghans each month.
Abdullah said this in a message read out at a meeting that assessed demining programs in Afghanistan in capital Kabul. The conference was attended by representatives from the United Nations (UN), donor countries, government officials and experts.
In his message, Abdullah said problems in removing landmines and IEDs had been somehow resolved, but 727 square kilometers areas remained contaminated with the explosives.
The CEO said more than 100 Afghans were killed or injured as a result of landmines and other explosives each month.
“Afghanistan is ranked fourth in landmines-affected countries. The unexploded ordinances from the past wars and the ongoing war have resulted in contamination of more areas with explosives,” he said.
Besides causing casualties and financial losses, IEDs and landmines were an obstacle to economic and construction development, Abdullah added.
He said a lack of budget affected the demining process as the number of deminers had reduced from 14,000 to 8,000 after 2011.
The demining program is in a priority of the government to pave the way for peace and national development, Abdullah continued.
The CEO asked the international community to continue its support with Afghanistan in getting rid of explosives.
Mohammad Aslam Sayyas, deputy head of incidents management authority, said that 2,090 square kilometers area (73 percent of total land contaminated with landmines) has been cleared of IEDs during the past 28 years in Afghanistan.
He said 727 square kilometers in 1,589 villages littered with explosives still needed clearance campaigns.
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