Independent reporting on human rights, environmental and conflict issues

Mine Victims

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© Anne Holmes

I spent the last few days in hospitals around Kabul taking a visual survey of the types of war injuries the capital city treats. Many of them come from neighboring provinces with gunshot wounds and mine injuries. This young boy arrived with 4 other children and one adult late in the evening at Emergency War Victims Center. One child was not able to be saved, and one girl lost a hand in the incident. Surgeons removed a rusty nail and other debris from deep within this boy’s thigh. Afghanistan remains one of the most heavily mined countries in the world today. There are an estimated 10 million mines at 40 per square mile. It costs between 3 and 10 dollars to buy a land mine, and between 300 and 1,000 dollars to remove one. Some land mines are specifically designed to target children, such as the butterfly, which looks like a toy and propels liquid explosives when triggered by tinkering.

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One Response to “Mine Victims”

  1. John Taev says:

    This whole mine thing is disgusting isn’t it. Especially targeting children, what did they do to anyone.It makes me wish I could do something about this regardless of cost to quell the feelings of anger and sorrow I have inside me, but sadly this is not possible.

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