Kabul, February 4: Afghanistan’s National Disaster Management Authority (ANDMA) reported on Wednesday that last year, 193 incidents involving unexploded bombs resulted in at least 87 fatalities and 333 injuries. The previous year saw significant tension along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border, leading to numerous bombs that failed to detonate upon being dropped. This report highlights the accidents that occurred during their removal.
According to Pajhwok Afghan News, Hafiz Mohammad Yusuf Hamad, head of the ANDMA information department, stated that the Mine Clearance Coordination Department and various demining organizations cleared 58 kilometers of land and neutralized 24,720 mines in 2025.
Hamad revealed that 67.5% of the deceased were children, underscoring the severe impact of unexploded bombs on Afghanistan’s youngest and most vulnerable population. He added that 155 demining teams are currently operating in Afghanistan. Last year, these teams trained over 2.1 million people in awareness programs.
Despite these efforts, approximately 105,000 square kilometers of land in Afghanistan remain affected by unexploded bombs. On Tuesday, the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) stated that the country ranks third globally in deaths caused by landmines and unexploded remnants of war.
UNAMA reported that nearly 80% of the victims are children, who often get injured or killed while playing or inadvertently touching unexploded bombs. According to the well-known Afghan news agency Khaama Press, UNAMA has called for increased financial support for demining organizations.
UNAMA noted that clearance teams work daily to remove explosive remnants while conducting awareness campaigns to prevent public exposure to these deadly items. The UN mission has advised Afghans not to touch suspicious objects and instead report them to authorities to prevent further casualties. Decades of ongoing conflict have left Afghanistan heavily impacted by landmines and unexploded bombs, posing a continuous threat to lives.
–
KK/DSC