Each year more than 2,000 people are either killed or wounded in mine explosions in Afghanistan, with some mines dating back to civil war.
Officials from the Afghan Mine Detection Center (MDC) on Sunday said each month up to 200 people in Afghanistan fall victim to IEDs – both newly planted devices and unexploded mines going back to the civil war.
MDC officials were speaking at an event in Kabul that was held to mark the International Day of Peace.
Mohammad Shahab Hakimi, head of MDC, said most of the victims are unaware of where these explosives are and also do not know what to do when they step on a mine.
“Every month between 180 and 200 people (are killed and wounded), it means more than 2,000 people a year become victims of mines. The fatalities have increased,” said Hakimi.
State Minister for Natural Disaster Management Najib Aqa Fahim said in the past 30 years 19 million unexploded mines and IEDs have been detected and defused around the country.
“Over 2,500 square kilometers of land in Afghanistan has been cleared of mines and around 19 million mines and explosive devices have been detected and defused,” said Fahim.
Fahim also said there is still 2,000 square kilometers of land in the country that needs to be cleared of mines and explosives devices.