Afghanistan one of the most weapons-contaminated countries: UNICEF

The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) in Afghanistan said 85 per cent of the victims of explosions and unexploded mines in Afghanistan are children, making it one of the most weapons-contaminated countries in the world, reported TOLO News.

Taking on social media platform 'X', the UNICEF said, "Afghanistan is one of the most weapons-contaminated countries in the world, and children represent about 85% of casualties. With EU in Afghanistan, UNICEF teaches children to recognize and avoid unexploded ordnance, using practice settings like this at a child-friendly space."

Unexploded mines in Afghanistan, which has been the theatre of several conflicts down the decades, continue to claim lives in the country, according to TOLO News.

Amanullah, who lost some of his body parts in an explosion, said, "We climbed a mountain to bring weeds, and we found the bomb and brought it down to sell it, the seller said I don’t want to buy it. As soon as we were entering the house it exploded."

Moreover, Akhtar Mohammad, a relative of mine victim's family said, "We referred to them so that they clean up the area from mines, but they told us that currently there are a lot of mines in the land, and we cannot reach the mines in the mountains. Because of that, we have prevented the kids from going to the mountain."

The Afghan Directorate for Mine Action Coordination (DMAC) said that as much as 65 per cent of victims of explosions and unexploded ordnance are children.

Noorddin Rustam Khil, head of DMAC said, "UNICEF, which shared the report with the media and has indicated the children who are victims of the mines 85 per cent, we reject that report. Based on our information, children’s victims are 65 per cent."

Earlier, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Aid (OCHA) stated that over 700 children in Afghanistan were killed or injured last year due to the explosion of land mines, explosives, and improvised explosive devices.