Afghanistan is one of the most mined countries on the planet. The fields of Afghanistan are littered with AP mines, explosive remnants of war (ERW), abandoned explosive ordnances (AXO) and unexploded ordnances (UXO). Most of the mines were laid 25 years ago by the Soviet Union when they occupied Afghanistan during the Cold War. The Taliban is also responsible for contributing a significant number of mines during its rule from 1996-2001. When the United States led coalitions into Afghanistan in 2001, it also laid large numbers of UXO’s.

FACT: Estimated number of casualties per year: 1,100

To the left are drawings by Afghani children that depict their responses to landmines. The picture clearly shows how landmines affect the lives of innocent working people. The man in the drawing loses his foot from a landmine. He is then unfit to do his work. He becomes a beggar on the streets.

Want to know more? Check out the full 2006 Afghanistan Landmine Report

Citation: www.icbl.org
All images on this page were provided by the International Campaign To Ban Landmine's (ICBL.ORG) The following photographers are given full credit for these images: George Gittoes, Tim Grant, John Rodsted, Mercedes Sayagues, Robert Semeniuk, Brian Liu. Their contact information can be seen at www.icbl.org/imagelibrary/copyright