420 killed, injured by unexploded ordnance in Afghanistan

KABUL (Pajhwok): At least 87 people were killed and 333 others injured in 193 incidents involving unexploded ordnance across Afghanistan over the past year, the Afghanistan National Disaster Management Authority (ANDMA) said on Wednesday.

ANDMA Information Department Head Hafiz Mohammad Yousof Hamad said the Mine Clearance Coordination Department, in collaboration with demining organizations, cleared 58 kilometers of land of unexploded ordnance last year and discovered and neutralized 24,720 mines.

He noted that children accounted for 67.5 percent of the casualties, underscoring the severe impact of unexploded ordnance on the country’s youngest and most vulnerable population.

Hamad added that 155 demining teams are currently operating nationwide. Over the past year, these teams provided public awareness training to more than 2.1 million people.

Despite these efforts, approximately 106,000 square kilometers of land across Afghanistan remain contaminated with unexploded ordnance.

Meanwhile, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) recently reported that Afghanistan ranks third globally in casualties caused by unexploded ordnance.

UNAMA emphasized that remnants of past conflicts—including unexploded ordnance and abandoned ammunition—continue to claim lives across the country.
hz