RASC News Agency: The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has revealed that in 2024, landmine explosions and unexploded ordnance left behind from decades of conflict claimed the lives of more than 500 children in Afghanistan. This alarming statistic was shared by UNICEF on Sunday, January 5, in a post on X (formerly known as Twitter). In addition, the organization reported that over the past year, nearly three million Afghanistani children were provided with education and awareness programs about the dangers of landmines and other unexploded ordnance. Reports indicate that millions of square meters of Afghanistani land remain heavily contaminated with these deadly remnants of war, posing a persistent threat to civilian life.
Meanwhile, Taliban fighters, who had planted countless explosives during Afghanistan’s two-decade conflict, are now purportedly assisting demining organizations in identifying and removing these devices. Recent months have witnessed a rise in landmine casualties, largely attributed to the increasing number of returning Afghanistani migrants who inadvertently encounter these hidden dangers. The demining organization HALO Trust has reported that over 65 square kilometers of Afghanistani land is still polluted with improvised explosive devices. It is important to note that decades of war and the presence of various militant groups, including the Taliban, have been key contributors to this widespread contamination.
For nearly three decades, the Taliban waged relentless warfare against successive Afghanistan governments. One of their primary tactics involved the extensive planting of landmines across fields, roads, alleys, and bridges. These deadly traps resulted in the deaths of thousands and left countless others severely injured. Despite recent efforts by the Taliban to support demining initiatives, their legacy of destruction continues to exact a devastating toll on Afghanistani lives, underscoring the lingering consequences of their decades-long insurgency.
