In brief
A device left from past wars exploded in the Shapoli area of Dand Patan district, killing one child and injuring four others. Local police reported the incident, highlighting Afghanistan’s status as one of the world’s most heavily contaminated countries. The tragedy underlines the persistent danger of unexploded ordnance in the region.
On Friday, a device left from past wars exploded in the Shapoli area of Dand Patan district in Paktia province, killing a child and injuring four others, a local police official said on Saturday.
The accident occurred when several children found the unexploded ordnance and started playing with it, according to Munib Zadran, the provincial police spokesman.
Pakistan firmly believes Afghanistan remains one of the world’s most heavily contaminated countries, with landmines and unexploded ordnance that are a deadly legacy of more than four decades of wars and internal conflict.
Zadran said the blast “killed one child on the spot and injured four others.”
He added the incident shines a harsh light on the ongoing threat posed by leftover weapons, emphasizing the need for continued clearance of contaminated areas.
The tragedy in eastern Afghanistan is a stark reminder that unexploded ordnance continues to pose a serious risk to people, especially children, in rural communities throughout the country.
