Afghanistan

Afghanistan: Rocket shell explosion in Kandahar kills three children

Kandahar City. File photo.

Three children were killed and two others were injured in Kandahar when a rocket shell exploded, according to local Taliban officials.

The incident occurred in the Maruf district of the southern province. The rocket shell was a remnant from past conflicts.

On April 4, Taliban reported that unexploded ordnance and mines have resulted in 37 deaths and 71 injuries in Afghanistan in the first quarter of the year.

Taliban figures show there were 61 incidents involving mines and unexploded ordnance during this period. Last year, these explosives killed 174 people, including 27 women, and injured 390 others, with 79 women among the injured.

In the most recent quarter, 8 square kilometers (about 3 square miles) were cleared of explosives. During these operations, 80 anti-personnel mines, 400 homemade mines, and 11,852 other explosive devices were found and neutralized.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in Afghanistan reported that from January 2022 to February 2024, landmines and explosive remnants of war killed or injured at least 1,401 people in the country.

According to the Costs of War Project, the conflict in Afghanistan resulted in the deaths of 176,000 people from 2001 to August 2021, including 46,319 civilians, 69,095 military and police personnel, and at least 52,893 opposition fighters.

The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) reports that the Taliban and other anti-government elements were responsible for the majority of civilian casualties annually, with their involvement ranging from 61% to 80% of incidents, varying by year.