UNAMA Says Mines and Explosives Kill or Injure 50 People Monthly in Afghanistan

The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) says around 50 people are killed or injured every month in mine-related and explosive ordnance incidents across Afghanistan, warning that children continue to bear the brunt of the country’s long-running contamination crisis.

In a statement issued for International Day for Mine Awareness on April 4, UNAMA said nearly 80% of the monthly casualties are children.

UNAMA said Afghanistan has the third-highest explosive ordnance casualty rate in the world, with most of the incidents linked not to newly planted devices but to unexploded ordnance and abandoned munitions left behind by decades of war. Nick Pond, head of UNAMA’s Mine Action Section, said about 90% of casualties in Afghanistan are caused by such remnants, many of which remain buried in former military sites, open land and even urban areas.

According to the UN mission, more than 1,000 square kilometres of land in Afghanistan are known to be contaminated, while nearly 3 million people, around 900 schools and more than 200 health facilities are located within one kilometre of explosive hazards. UNAMA said the true scale could be even larger because many districts have still not been fully surveyed.

Pond said one of the biggest obstacles to faster clearance is a severe funding shortage, despite improved access in many parts of the country and broad support for demining work. He said stronger funding would allow contaminated land to be cleared more quickly so families can safely return to farming, schooling and daily life without the threat of hidden explosives.

Afghanistan remains one of the countries most heavily affected by the legacy of war, with mines and unexploded bombs still scattered across farmland, roads, villages and former battle zones after more than four decades of conflict. UN-linked reporting says 471 casualties were recorded in 2025 alone, many of them children and women.

The crisis is especially dangerous for children, who are often injured while playing outdoors, collecting scrap metal or walking through contaminated areas. Aid agencies say the contamination also blocks agriculture, delays reconstruction and deepens hardship in already vulnerable communities.

UNAMA said sustained international support is urgently needed if Afghanistan is to reduce daily casualties and free communities from one of the deadliest legacies of its past wars.

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