Key village near Kabul to be mine free by the end of 2009

[Turborama]

Source: UNAMA

A new housing development area for Afghan refugees near Kabul is being cleared of mines, with the urgency of the project becoming more acute as people are already living in the district and many more are continuing to arrive.

Like other mine-contaminated areas in Afghanistan the village of Barek Ab near Bagram in Parwan province, 20 kilometres north of Kabul, poses a real risk to returnees mainly coming from Iran and Pakistan as well internally displaced persons who have settled there. The area is 450,000 square kilometres large and contaminated with mine and unexploded ordnance. The mine field is only a 100 yards away from the nearest residential houses and tents.

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In Afghanistan, an average of sixty Afghans are injured or killed by landmines or explosive remnants of war every month, making it one of the worst affected countries in the world. In 2008 alone, more then 84,000 anti-personnel mines, 900 anti-tank mines and 2.5 million Explosive Remnants of War were destroyed by the Mine Action Programme of Afghanistan. This resulted in the clearance of over 50 square kilometres of minefields and almost 113 square kilometres of former battle areas.

“All the mine action staff throughout Afghanistan should be proud of the achievements of the programme over the last year. However, the challenges ahead remain great and we call upon all stakeholders to commit to supporting us through to the completion of the task so that all Afghans can be free from the fear of mines and explosive remnants of war and the development of our country is not held back by the threat of mines,” said Dr Haider Reza, the Programme Director for the Mine Action Coordination Centre of Afghanistan.

It’s expected the village of Barek Ab will be declared mine free by December 2009.


Read more: http://unama.unmissions.org/Default.aspx?tabid=1741&ctl=Details&mid=1882&ItemID=3394

[willing dwarf]

1. It's great to hear some good news from anywhere, but especially from Afghanistan

Thanks.

[Turborama]

2. You're welcome, those were exactly my thoughts, too...