Afghanistan Peace CampaignRustamkhil told TOLOnews that “over 100 incidents” have occurred during this period, with many of the victims being children.
Nooruddin Rustamkhil, head of Coordination, Cooperation, and Mine Clearance, stated that since the beginning of 2024, “nearly 50 people have been killed and more than 150 injured” due to landmines and other explosive materials.
Rustamkhil told TOLOnews that “over 100 incidents” have occurred during this period, with many of the victims being children.
The Head of Coordination, Cooperation, and Mine Clearance added, “Since the beginning of 2024, 109 incidents have occurred in Afghanistan, resulting in a total of 209 casualties. Among these, 162 were injured and 48 lost their lives.”
Eight-year-old Arman, whose legs and one eye were injured nearly two months ago due to an explosion in the Shekhu village of Deh Sabz district in Kabul.
Describing the incident, he said, “I was playing and found a shell which exploded, injuring both my legs, one eye, and my face.”
Mohammad Arif, Arman’s father, spoke about his son’s injury: “We ask the government and demining organizations to clear mine-infested and explosive-laden areas in the country so that mines and explosive materials do not claim more victims.”
At the same time, some deminers told TOLOnews that they are working harder than ever to eliminate landmines and unexploded ordnance in the country.
Fazl Manan, a deminer, told TOLOnews, “Landmines and explosives left over from wars have harmed many of our compatriots. We are diligently working to destroy mines and unexploded ordnance.”
The Head of Coordination, Cooperation, and Mine Clearance also reported that since the beginning of this year, over 15 square kilometers of land have been cleared of mines and explosive materials.
According to Nooruddin Rustamkhil, the Islamic Emirate is committed to all international conventions regarding mine clearance, and the international community should not politicize this humanitarian issue.