Mine Action

Afghanistan's recent history is characterized by war and civil unrest.

• Since 1978, all sides have used antipersonnel mines, particularly Soviet forces and the Afghan government from 1979 to 1992.
• Throughout the 1990s landmines continued to be laid by the Taliban government and a loose coalition of opposition forces.
• During fighting by and against the international coalition, more mines were laid and thousands of explosive bombs, cluster munitions and missiles were dropped, beginning in 2001. 

As a result, Afghanistan is one of the heaviest mined countries in the world.

• Landmines and unexploded ordnance are scattered throughout urban areas, towns and villages, farmland, grazing land and roads. 
• Nearly all regions are affected with 1,500 villages in 27 out of 29 provinces impacted by mines. 
• The heaviest concentration of mines is in the western, eastern and southern regions. 
• At the end of 2002, the total mined area remaining was over 780 square kilometers, of which 404 square kilometers has been assessed consists of residential areas, commercial land and once-fertile agricultural fields.

The dramatic political changes of late 2001 and early 2002 have paved the way for an important expansion of mine action.  On July 29, 2002, the transitional government acceded to the Mine Ban Treaty. Since then Afghanistan has not produced landmines nor has there been transfer from other countries.  There have been some suspected incidents in which mines have been laid by resistance forces.  However, this is believed to be the exception rather than the norm.

Since 1989, mine clearance has been coordinated by the United Nations Mine Action Program for Afghanistan (MAPA).  Through the end of 2002, 263 square kilometers of mined land had been cleared as well as 422 square kilometers of battlefield areas.  Over 268,000 antipersonnel mines, 13,000 anti-vehicle mines and 2,488,000 pieces of UXO had been found and destroyed.  Increased resources in 2002 allowed mine clearance to be carried out at a faster rate.  Assuming sustained levels of funding, MAPA plans to complete clearance of high priority minefields by 2012.

Survivor Assistance

Landmine casualties place additional strain on an already overburdened health care system damaged or destroyed by decades of conflict.

• According to the UN's mine-action program, landmines and UXO cause between 40 and 100 casualties every week.
• Due to a lack of transportation and poor roads, it is believed that almost 50 percent of mine victims die before reaching a medical facility. Most of these cases go unreported.
• In a recent ICRC study of reported landmine casualties, 91.9% were civilians and more than 50 percent were children.
• According to the World Health Organization, 65 percent of Afghans do not have access to any health facilities.

Under these conditions, there is an urgent need for increased emergency health services throughout Afghanistan and most especially outside of Kabul.

There are a number of organizations working to provide services to landmine survivors until the government is better able to take over this task.  One of the largest such programs is the Comprehensive Disabled Afghans’ Programme (CDAP).  AAM support to CDAP’s clinic in Ghazni has expanded the services they can provide in this heavily mined region.  Currently the focus within Afghanistan is ensuring that landmine survivors have the emergency medical attention they need and then physical rehabilitation services such as a prosthetic limb so that they can walk again.  Generating employment opportunities is another critical area that organizations are beginning to explore.