Afghanistan Times
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KABUL – In a recent announcement, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) operating in Afghanistan revealed a staggering 85 percent of those impacted by explosions and unexploded mines in the country are children. This grim reality positions Afghanistan as one of the world’s most heavily weapon-contaminated regions.
UNICEF took to the social media platform ‘X’ to convey the alarming situation. Their message emphasized, “Afghanistan ranks prominently among the world’s nations most affected by weapon contamination, with children comprising a significant 85% of the casualties. Collaborating with the EU in Afghanistan, UNICEF is dedicated to instructing children on how to identify and avoid unexploded ordnance. Practical training, as showcased in child-friendly environments like this, plays a vital role.”
The enduring issue of unexploded mines persists in Afghanistan, a nation marked by numerous conflicts throughout its history.
The Afghan Directorate for Mine Action Coordination (DMAC) disclosed that a significant 65 percent of those affected by explosions and unexploded ordnance are children. Noorddin Rustam Khil, the head of DMAC, contested UNICEF’s figures. He stated, “Although UNICEF’s report highlights 85 percent of child victims, a statistic we refute, our data indicates that children constitute 65 percent of these casualties.”
A prior report from the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Aid (OCHA) added weight to the issue, revealing that the past year alone witnessed over 700 children in Afghanistan either losing their lives or sustaining injuries due to land mine explosions, explosives, and improvised explosive devices.
