UN: 175 Mine and UXO Casualties Reported in Afghanistan in 5 Months

DID Press: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs says at least 175 people were killed or injured by landmines and unexploded ordnance (UXO) in Afghanistan between January and May 2026, with children accounting for 75 percent of the victims.

In a post on X on Thursday, OCHA warned that mine action programs in Afghanistan are facing a severe funding shortfall. The agency said $14.5 million is required to sustain demining operations this year, but only $3.6 million had been secured by June.

The UN agency stressed that urgent financial support is needed to prevent further casualties, warning that the funding gap threatens life-saving demining activities across the country.

Meanwhile, Olga Cherevko, spokesperson for OCHA, said during a visit to eastern Afghanistan that the country ranks as the world’s third most heavily affected by casualties from unexploded ordnance.

According to Cherevko, around 80 percent of the victims are children, with an average of nearly 50 people killed or injured each month by landmines and explosive remnants of war.

She emphasized that mine clearance and risk education are essential to protecting civilians, noting that every unexploded device left in the ground continues to pose a deadly threat.

Afghanistan remains one of the world’s most heavily contaminated countries with landmines and explosive remnants of decades of conflict. Many hazardous areas are located near villages, farmland, schools, and roads, placing children at particular risk.