How Did Three Teenagers Die from Unexploded Ordnance in Afghanistan?
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Three teenagers tragically lost their lives due to an unexploded ordnance.
- Incidents involving unexploded devices are still frequent in Afghanistan.
- Afghanistan is one of the most contaminated countries by landmines.
- In 2024, significant casualties have been reported from unexploded ordnance.
- Awareness and assistance are crucial for communities affected by these remnants of war.
Kabul, Dec 1 (NationPress) Tragically, three teenagers have lost their lives after an unexploded ordnance from former conflicts detonated in Uruzgan province, southern Afghanistan, as confirmed by provincial police spokesman Belal Uruzgani on Monday.
The young victims, aged between 13 and 18, were reportedly playing with the dangerous device in the Shirkhani region of the Char Chino district when it exploded, according to a report by the Xinhua News Agency.
This incident marks the third occurrence of such tragedies within the last ten days in Afghanistan. Previously, separate explosions involving unexploded ordnance resulted in the deaths of four individuals, including children, and left nine others injured in the Kandahar and Balkh provinces.
Afghanistan is known to be one of the most contaminated countries globally, with numerous landmines and explosive remnants from over four decades of conflict scattered throughout the landscape.
On November 26, a statement from the provincial police revealed that three children perished and two were injured due to an explosion caused by an unexploded device in Balkh province.
In that case, the children discovered the device in the Nahri Shahi district and began to play with it, resulting in a tragic explosion that killed three children instantly and injured two more.
Earlier, on November 14, another incident was reported in Badghis province, where three children died after a toy-like device exploded while they were playing with it.
In 2024 alone, local media reported that a total of 137 individuals lost their lives and over 330 sustained injuries due to explosions from unexploded ordnance, remnants of previous conflicts across Afghanistan. Among the deceased were 125 children, 10 men, and 2 women, with the injured including 264 children, 53 men, and 16 women.