RASC News Agency: Local sources in eastern Nangarhar province have confirmed that a deadly explosion caused by an unexploded rocket shell claimed the lives of two children and injured two others in Darah Noor district on Tuesday afternoon. According to eyewitness accounts, the tragic incident occurred around 3:30 p.m. on July 2 in the village of Lamatak, located in the volatile Darah Noor district an area that has witnessed repeated armed conflicts over the past two decades.
Sources report that the children were playing with what appeared to be a leftover rocket warhead from previous battles when the device detonated unexpectedly. The identities of the victims have not yet been officially released by local authorities or family members. The explosion is yet another grim reminder of the lingering threat posed by unexploded ordnance (UXO) scattered across Afghanistan a deadly legacy of decades of conflict. Despite repeated warnings by international demining agencies and humanitarian organizations, vast areas remain contaminated with landmines, artillery shells, and other explosive remnants of war.
According to a recent report by a leading demining organization, an average of 60 civilians many of them children are killed or injured each month across Afghanistan due to landmine and UXO explosions. Children, due to their curiosity and lack of awareness, remain disproportionately at risk. Darah Noor, like many former frontlines in eastern Afghanistan, remains heavily littered with remnants of war. Years of armed group activity and shifting battlegrounds have left behind a perilous landscape where basic safety for civilians especially children remains elusive. Local residents and community activists have once again urged national and international demining institutions to accelerate clearance operations and take immediate action to prevent further tragedies. They also called for community education programs to raise awareness among children and families about the dangers of touching or playing with suspicious objects.
While international mine clearance organizations continue their work under challenging circumstances, the de facto authorities have done little to prioritize demining operations or child protection programs. The lack of a coherent national safety strategy leaves vulnerable communities exposed to the silent killer that is UXO. This latest incident underscores the urgent need for sustained international support and increased accountability of those in power, who bear responsibility for ensuring civilian safety in war-affected regions. Until meaningful action is taken, Afghanistan’s children will continue to bear the deadly cost of wars they never chose to fight.
