RASC News Agency: The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Afghanistan (OCHA) reports that explosive devices across the country claim 110 lives each month. OCHA’s report states that last year, 89 percent of these victims were children. OCHA has highlighted that explosive devices in Afghanistan claim a significant number of lives annually.
The latest OCHA report reveals that since 1989, 45,000 people in Afghanistan have fallen victim to landmines and remnants of explosive devices. Explosive devices and landmines have predominantly claimed lives in populated areas, plains, remote regions, and conflict zones. These devices are most frequently found in such locations.
OCHA also notes that the United Nations Mine Action Service is facing a budget shortfall for its operations in Afghanistan in 2024. OCHA warns that without adequate funding for demining services, the lives of 3.4 million people in Afghanistan will be at risk. Many areas in Afghanistan are littered with explosive remnants from years of conflict.
The report underscores that Afghanistan is one of the countries most contaminated with landmines and explosive remnants of war, significantly hindering recovery and stability in the nation. The report also states that 1.2 million square meters of land across Afghanistan are contaminated with landmines, improvised explosive devices, and war remnants.
OCHA reveals that contaminated areas in Afghanistan include 262 districts, encompassing regions near educational institutions and water sources. According to the report, from January 2022 to February 2024, 1,401 people lost their lives due to explosions from these devices and war remnants, with 86 percent of the victims being children.
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs attributes one of the main factors in these incidents to families collecting scrap metal for income in Afghanistan. The report also indicates that in the past year, 88 percent of these incidents were caused by explosive remnants of war.
