Over 1,016 killed or maimed in IED blasts in Taliban-ruled Afghanistan in 2021: Report

Seven months after the Taliban seized power in Afghanistan, a report produced by the Afghanistan National Disaster Management Authority (ANDMA) said that over a thousand citizens have been killed or injured by landmines and Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs).

The remarks were made by Qari Nooruddin Rostamkhel, who is in charge of demining coordination at ANDMA. While speaking at a conference in Kabul on the occasion of International Mine Awareness and Assistance Day, he stated that around 1,016 people, mostly children, have been either killed or injured in IED blasts in the last year. Every month, he added that roughly 120 people are killed or maimed throughout the country by landmines and IEDs.

Over 1,000 people killed or wounded in IED blasts in Afghanistan

In the last seven months, over 20 square kilometres of land have been cleaned in 20 provinces, he said, adding that 1,260,550 antipersonnel mines, 18,351,422 unexploded explosives, and 1,264 hand grenades have been discovered and defused in the country, according to The Frontier Post.

"There is currently no security threat in the country," deputy ANDMA head, Sharafuddin Muslim said. "The landmine cleaning agencies should speed up their efforts in Afghanistan," he added.

Mines are a hidden enemy of all the people and should be eradicated jointly. People who have lost their organs in the demining programmes should be financially supported by the relevant organisations," he further stated.

NRF continues resistance against Taliban regime

Besides, the Taliban regime in Afghanistan is facing constant resistance. Despite it being seven months since the Taliban takeover and the severe conditions of the snow-clad Panjshir Valley, the Northern Alliance led by Ahmad Massoud and acting Vice President Amrullah Saleh continues a tough resistance against the Taliban, resulting in several Talibani casualties.

On February 21, the NRF tracked down one of the Taliban's helicopters in the Annaba district. One of the resistance front's commanders claimed that at least 23 Taliban fighters were killed in Panjshir during an ambush attack. Last month, an NRF fighter shared a video message with Taliban leaders, referring to them as "puppets" and asserting that the militant group would be defeated shortly.

Reportedly, in February 2022, the Taliban sent five helicopters to the Panjshir Valley and launched airstrikes against their hideouts in the Hindukush mountains. In response, the resistance forces activated heavy weaponry in the Hindukush peaks, declaring themselves "ready for any kind of response."

(With ANI inputs)

Image: ANI, Representative