The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan has reported that an estimated 1.5 million people in the country are living with serious disabilities, many of them injured during years of war. The mission said on Wednesday that decades of conflict have left a deep human toll, with children suffering a particularly severe burden.
In a statement shared on its official X account, UNAMA noted that Afghanistan continues to face the long-term consequences of violence stretching back more than forty years. Among the most persistent dangers are landmines and unexploded ordnance scattered across large parts of the country. These remnants of war continue to cause deaths and life-changing injuries regularly, affecting families and communities across rural and urban areas.
Afghanistan is widely recognized as one of the most mine-contaminated countries in the world. Fighting that began in the late 1970s and continued through multiple phases of conflict has left behind explosive hazards that remain active beneath roads, fields, and residential land. Humanitarian organizations say that even when the intensity of fighting decreases, the mines and unexploded devices remain as constant threats to civilians.
UNAMA highlighted that in just the past two weeks, separate incidents involving explosive remnants of war killed seven people and injured nine others. The victims included several children. The deadly explosions occurred in the southern provinces of Kandahar and Uruzgan as well as in Balkh province in the north, showing that the threat is widespread across the country rather than being confined to one region.
Children are often the most vulnerable because they may unknowingly pick up or step on unexploded devices while playing or helping their families with daily tasks. Aid groups working in Afghanistan have long called for expanded mine clearance programmes and greater support for survivors who require long term care, rehabilitation and social assistance.
A recent report from Afghanistan’s National Disaster Management Authority offered a clearer picture of the scale of contamination. It estimated that around 1,150 square kilometres of land across the country still contain landmines or other explosive remnants of war. This contamination affects farming, transportation and community safety, making it difficult for families to rebuild their lives or return to normal daily routines.
Humanitarian workers say that addressing the impact of disabilities in Afghanistan requires more than emergency medical care. Many survivors of explosions face long recovery periods, limited access to rehabilitation services and challenges in finding employment. Families caring for disabled relatives often struggle financially, especially in remote areas where economic opportunities are scarce.
The UN continues to urge international partners to support mine clearance efforts and assist Afghanistan in expanding services for people living with disabilities. The organization warns that without sustained support, the threat of unexploded ordnance will continue to claim lives and limit the country’s ability to recover from decades of conflict.
