Afghan insurgents using landmines - campaigner
- 11 years ago
Inch by inch deminers are working to clear Afghanistan of landmines.
The country has one of the world's highest landmine injury rates. Most victims are civilians, many of them children, oblivious to the danger.
Deminers have been clearing for more than 20 years, but still an estimated 100,000 landmines remain.
Most were planted during the Soviet occupation and more were added during the civil war between the Taliban and the Northern Alliance.
Nasim Ahmadi works to educate people about landmines. He says that even now, insurgents fighting the government are adding new mines.
(SOUNDBITE) (Dari) NASIM AHMADI, HEAD OF MDC AMMUNITION MUSEUM, SAYING:
"I believe 70 percent of landmine areas have been cleared but unfortunately right now they are laying landmines that are relatively new, made abroad. That is a serious threat."
As long as there are landmines there will be victims like the amputees at this Red Cross hospital in Kabul.
The country has one of the world's highest landmine injury rates. Most victims are civilians, many of them children, oblivious to the danger.
Deminers have been clearing for more than 20 years, but still an estimated 100,000 landmines remain.
Most were planted during the Soviet occupation and more were added during the civil war between the Taliban and the Northern Alliance.
Nasim Ahmadi works to educate people about landmines. He says that even now, insurgents fighting the government are adding new mines.
(SOUNDBITE) (Dari) NASIM AHMADI, HEAD OF MDC AMMUNITION MUSEUM, SAYING:
"I believe 70 percent of landmine areas have been cleared but unfortunately right now they are laying landmines that are relatively new, made abroad. That is a serious threat."
As long as there are landmines there will be victims like the amputees at this Red Cross hospital in Kabul.