The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs estimates that since 1989, landmines and other explosive relics of conflict have killed or wounded about 57000 people in Afghanistan. (OCHA).
The UN reported in a succession of tweets on the International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action that mine action allies have cleared more than 19 million unexploded bombs from the nation.
“We commemorate the lives lost and eternally altered by explosive pollution today on the International Day for Mine Awareness & Assistance in Mine Action. Landmines and other explosive remnants of conflict have killed or wounded nearly 57K Afghan citizens since 1989, and mine action allies have removed over 19M items from the country.
More than 4,150 identified dangers still pose a deadly threat to communities, especially children in Afghanistan, the organization emphasized.
The United Nations believes that 150 persons are killed by land mines in Afghanistan each month, in accordance with previous research. Children who mistakenly pick up an unexploded explosive that mimics a toy account for eight out of every ten casualties.
In the meantime, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged greater international cooperation in efforts to protect people from explosives.
“Every step can put them in danger’s path for the millions living amidst the chaos of armed conflicts, especially women and children,” he said.
Conflicts frequently leave behind a frightening heritage, such as landmines and explosive weapons that are left all over communities, he said. “Peace brings no assurance of safety” when fields and roadways are mined, returning homeless people are threatened by unexploded munitions, and kids come across and play with explosive-containing shiny objects.
“I urge Member States to ratify and fully implement the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons, the Convention on Cluster Munitions, and the Convention on Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention,” Guterres continued.
Afghanistan is littered with ground mines and other explosive relics of war as a result of decades of combat. The consequence is that the nation presently has some of the highest levels of mine contamination worldwide.