KABUL — The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has said that $21.9 million is needed this year to fund mine clearance and explosive hazard risk education in Afghanistan, one of the most heavily contaminated countries in the world.
In a statement on Sunday, OCHA warned that 3.3 million Afghans live within one kilometer of mine-contaminated areas, putting them at daily risk.
On average, 55 civilians are killed or injured each month by landmines and unexploded ordnance, according to the report. Children account for 80 percent of the casualties.
The funding request comes as U.S. financial aid remains suspended, forcing several organizations, including those specializing in mine clearance, to halt operations in Afghanistan.
The Norwegian People’s Aid (NPA), a leading humanitarian group involved in demining efforts, announced last month that it had ceased its mine clearance work in Afghanistan due to the loss of U.S. funding.
With the humanitarian crisis deepening and explosive hazards continuing to threaten civilians, aid organizations are urging donors to fill the funding gap to reduce civilian casualties and protect children from the dangers of unexploded ordnance.
