Kabul – The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) announced that at least 170 people were killed by landmines, explosive remnants of war, and unexploded ordnance in Afghanistan during the first five months of 2025.
According to OCHA’s report released on Thursday, approximately 70 percent of the victims were children, highlighting that unexploded ordnance continues to be one of the gravest threats to civilians, particularly children, in Afghanistan.
The UN agency also stated that it requires US$55.5 million to carry out mine action programs in Afghanistan. However, by the end of June, only US$6.5 million had been secured.
OCHA warned that the funding shortfall has severely hampered mine clearance operations and that the continuation of this situation could place thousands of lives—especially those of children—at risk.
Afghanistan remains one of the countries most heavily contaminated with landmines and unexploded ordnance. Decades of war have left vast areas polluted with explosive hazards, which continue to claim civilian lives even after the fighting has ended.
