What Happened in Eastern Afghanistan That Left Three Workers Dead?
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Three workers were killed by an explosion of an unexploded device in Nangarhar province.
- Authorities are urging residents to report suspicious objects.
- Afghanistan remains one of the most mine-contaminated countries.
- Children are particularly vulnerable to the dangers posed by unexploded ordnance.
- In 2024, 137 fatalities have been reported due to such incidents.
Kabul, Dec 7 (NationPress) Three workers tragically lost their lives when an unexploded device from earlier conflicts detonated in Nangarhar province of eastern Afghanistan, as reported by provincial police spokesman Sayed Tayeb Hamad on Sunday.
The explosion took place at a scrap shop in the Kama district while the workers were engaged in their tasks on Saturday afternoon. The spokesman confirmed that the three workers died instantly due to the blast.
Authorities have urged the local population to report any suspicious items to security forces, as reported by Xinhua News Agency.
In a similar incident last month, one person was killed in the Rodat district of Nangarhar province.
Afghanistan, post-war, is viewed as one of the most contaminated countries by landmines, with unexploded ordnance from over four decades of conflict often resulting in fatalities and injuries, particularly among children.
On December 1, provincial police spokesman Belal Uruzgani reported that three teenagers perished after an unexploded device detonated in southern Afghanistan's Uruzgan province.
The victims, aged between 13 and 18, were playing with the device in the Shirkhani area of Char Chino district when it exploded, according to Xinhua.
In separate incidents involving unexploded ordnance, four individuals, including children, were killed, and nine others were injured in Kandahar and Balkh province.
On November 26, a provincial police statement revealed that three children died, and two others were injured after discovering an unexploded device in northern Afghanistan's Balkh province.
This incident occurred in the Nahri Shahi district when the children found the device and began to play with it. The explosion resulted in the immediate death of three and injuries to two others.
On November 14, provincial police spokesman Sediqullah Sediqi noted that three children were killed when an unexploded device from past wars detonated in Badghis province.
The children found a toy-like device and began to play with it, but it unexpectedly exploded, killing the three on the spot, according to the official.
In 2024, local media reported that a total of 137 individuals lost their lives, and over 330 sustained injuries due to explosions of unexploded ordnance across Afghanistan. Among the deceased, 125 were children, 10 were men, and two were women, while the injured included 264 children, 53 men, and 16 women.