GERU, Afghanistan: A devastating blast caused by a landmine in southeastern Afghanistan has resulted in the tragic loss of nine innocent lives, according to a provincial official on Monday.
The incident occurred in the Geru district of Ghazni province on Sunday when a group of young boys and girls were playing with the mine.
Hamidullah Nisar, the provincial head of the information and culture department, explained that the explosion was triggered by an unexploded mine left over from the time of the Russian invasion.
Sadly, the blast claimed the lives of nine children, with Ghazni police confirming that the victims included five girls and four boys, aged between four and ten years old.
Afghanistan’s troubled history of conflict, spanning from the Soviet invasion in 1979 to the civil war and the 20-year Taliban insurgency, has left the country littered with unexploded mines, grenades, and mortars.
Despite a reduction in violence since the Taliban takeover in August 2021, the threat of unexploded ordnance continues to pose a significant risk to civilians.
Children, in particular, remain vulnerable to these deadly remnants of war, as highlighted by the International Committee of the Red Cross.
In a separate incident on the same day, another child lost their life, and five individuals sustained injuries due to unexploded ordnance in Herat province, underscoring the ongoing danger faced by Afghan communities.
