Afghanistan ranks third worldwide for landmine casualties: UN
UN mission warns unexploded ordnance continues to kill civilians, with children making up most victims
KABUL, Afghanistan (MNTV) — Afghanistan ranks as the world’s third-highest country for casualties caused by landmines, unexploded ordnance and other explosive remnants of war, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan said Tuesday, warning that decades of conflict continue to endanger civilians.
In a statement, UNAMA said mines and other remnants of war remain widespread across the country, killing and injuring people years after major fighting has subsided. Children are the most affected, accounting for about 80% of casualties, often after encountering unexploded munitions while playing, it said.
UNAMA said the United Nations continues to support and advocate sustained funding for non-governmental organizations engaged in mine clearance and risk-awareness programs aimed at educating communities about explosive hazards.
“Greater awareness and collective action can save lives,” the mission said.
The warning echoes earlier assessments by the International Committee of the Red Cross, which has described Afghanistan as one of the countries most heavily contaminated by landmines and unexploded ordnance left behind by decades of war. The ICRC says it continues to run awareness programs to reduce civilian harm.
Demining organization Halo Trust said last year that land contaminated by improvised explosive devices in Afghanistan had expanded to more than 65 square kilometers, up from about 53 square kilometers at the end of 2022. It said contamination has been identified in 26 of the country’s provinces.
According to United Nations data, an estimated 6.4 million people in Afghanistan live at risk from unexploded ordnance. About 50 people are killed or severely wounded each month in explosive accidents, U.N.-linked figures show.
Tens of thousands of Afghans have been killed or injured by landmines and explosive remnants of war over recent decades, UNAMA said, calling the threat a persistent humanitarian crisis that continues to hinder development across the country.
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