At least three children were injured when unexploded ordnance detonated in Qaroto village of Bala Murghab district, Badghis province, local officials confirmed on Wednesday, underscoring the persistent dangers civilians face due to decades of conflict and the Taliban’s inability to ensure safety in cleared areas. According to provincial police, the incident occurred while the children were herding livestock in open fields. The blast was triggered after they attempted to burn a leftover artillery shell, which exploded with force, leaving all three children injured. They were shifted to a nearby medical facility, though authorities did not disclose their condition.
The tragedy once again highlights Afghanistan’s enduring landmine and ordnance crisis, a legacy of wars fought over the last four decades. Experts and humanitarian groups have repeatedly warned that the Taliban administration has failed to prioritize large-scale clearance operations or create adequate awareness programmes in rural districts, leaving civilians particularly children vulnerable to such deadly remnants.
International monitoring groups note that Afghanistan remains among the countries most contaminated by unexploded ordnance and landmines. Children often fall victim while playing, collecting firewood, or herding animals in areas littered with abandoned shells and improvised explosive devices. The United Nations has consistently urged the authorities in Kabul to work closely with humanitarian demining organisations, but restrictions imposed under the Taliban regime have hampered clearance operations and reduced community outreach.
Analysts argue that the latest incident is part of a larger pattern of neglect, as the Taliban continue to focus on consolidating power rather than addressing urgent humanitarian and security risks. Despite repeated incidents, including similar blasts in other provinces this year, little has been done to mitigate threats or provide sustained assistance to affected families.
Human rights groups have stressed that protecting civilians from unexploded ordnance should be a core responsibility of any government. The Taliban’s failure to act effectively not only endangers lives but also exposes their inability to govern beyond a military lens, leaving Afghanistan’s most vulnerable populations at the mercy of remnants of war.
