Landmines remain deadly threat in Afghanistan: UNAMA

KABUL (Pajhwok): The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan on Friday said Afghanistan remains one of the most mine-contaminated countries in the world, with explosive remnants of war continuing to pose grave threats to civilians, especially children.

In a statement marking International Mine Awareness Day, UNAMA said that decades of conflict have left behind a deadly legacy of unexploded ordnance, which has killed or injured tens of thousands of people across the country.

“Children are among the most affected,” the mission noted, calling for urgent international support to help clear the country of land mines and other explosive remnants of war. “Afghanistan is in critical need of global assistance,” the statement added.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) echoed the warning, stating that communities across Afghanistan remain at risk from mines and other explosive hazards even years after the end of active fighting.

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