A child who lost both legs in a landmine explosion in Afghanistan’s western Farah province says he hopes to receive further treatment and return to school, but his family says it can no longer afford medical care or education.
Mustafa was injured two years ago when an explosive remnant of war detonated while he was playing with other children in a rural area of the province, his family said.
He said the blast occurred when he picked up a metal object while herding sheep with friends.
“We were playing when I picked up something metallic,” Mustafa said. “The other children told me to throw it on the ground. It exploded.”
His father said the family spent more than 500,000 afghanis ($7,600) on emergency treatment to save the boy’s life, exhausting its limited resources.
“My son attends school and is very capable,” he said. “But we no longer have the means to pay for his treatment or continue his education.”
Mustafa’s brother said the family survives on daily labour and has no remaining savings. “Everything we had went toward keeping him alive,” he said.
Explosive remnants of war remain a persistent threat across the country decades after fighting, particularly in rural areas where children are often exposed while playing or working.
Local sources in the west of the country say at least 10 incidents involving unexploded ordnance have been recorded over the past four years, with most reported in Farah, Herat and Badghis.
The United Nations has warned that landmines and unexploded munitions continue to kill and injure civilians, with children among the most affected, as funding shortages slow clearance operations and limit assistance for victims.
Recent data show that explosive remnants of war and unexploded ordnance continue to inflict significant harm. According to the 2025 Landmine Monitor report, 624 people were killed or injured by landmines and explosive remnants of war in 2024 alone, placing the country among the most affected globally. Children are disproportionately affected, accounting for around 77 % of casualties in Afghanistan, many of whom are injured or killed while playing or tending animals.
