What is Halo Trust in Afghanistan?
The HALO Trust has been working in Afghanistan for the past 30 years, part of the world’s largest landmine removal programme. We have cleared fields, cities and mountain valleys of the explosive debris left behind by decades of conflict.
Does Afghanistan have landmines?
Landmines in Afghanistan Afghanistan is one of the most heavily mined countries in the world. Landmines pose an ever-present danger to civilians now attempting to flee the country or areas of potential conflict.
How many landmines are in Afghanistan?
The 1993 National Survey of Mine Situation in Afghanistan indicated that a total of 361,000 domestic animals have been killed by landmines in 979 villages. For several years, the United Nations has estimated the number of mines in Afghanistan at 10 million.
Who put land mines in Afghanistan?
The United Nations has been involved in clearing landmines in Afghanistan for 29 years. Over that period, the U.N. and its partners have cleared some 730,000 anti-personnel and anti-tank mines at a cost of $1.5 billion.
What is a Hazara in Afghanistan?
The Hazaras are an ethnic minority native to the impoverished, mountainous Hazarajat region of central Afghanistan. They are thought to be descendants of the Mongol warlord Ghengis Khan, whose conquering army swept through the country in the 13th century, and speak Hazaragi, a Farsi dialect.
Why are there a lot of landmines in Afghanistan?
Minefields have been laid by both Soviet and Afghan forces, and mines have been used in all phases of the Afghan conflict: in vast quantities during the Soviet occupation, during the power struggle between mujaheddin commanders after the Soviet withdrawal, and now during fighting between Taliban forces and other Afghan …
Can a landmine be disarmed?
There is a common misperception that a landmine is armed by stepping on it and only triggered by stepping off, providing tension in movies. In fact the initial pressure trigger will detonate the mine, as they are designed to kill or maim, not to make someone stand very still until it can be disarmed.
What is the difference between Pashtun and Hazara in Afghanistan?
Key Difference: Hazaras are members of an Afghan ethnic minority group, whereas the Pashtuns are a united group of tribes composing the largest ethnic group of Afghanistan. Hazaras are considered as Persian speaking people and they mainly inhabit central Afghanistan.
Who is the chairman of the Afghanistan campaign to ban land mines?
Mohammed Shahab Hakimi, the chairman of the Afghan Campaign to Ban Land Mines, says the plan calls for increasing the number of deminers in the country to almost 9,000. He described the effort by telephone recently from Geneva, where he was attending a land mine symposium.
How many people have been killed by land mines in Afghanistan?
Camilla Wasznik, a spokesperson for the ICRC Mines-Arms Unit, says some 60 people are reported killed or maimed by land mines across Afghanistan each month. Many other injuries are believed to go unreported. “In 2003, the ICRC recorded 728 new victims of mines and other explosive remnants of war.
How is the United States helping in Afghanistan?
Local and international NGOs, many of whom have received U.S. assistance through UNOCHA, are reconstituting Afghanistan’s demining effort.
Where are the most heavily mined areas in Afghanistan?
The most heavily mined areas are the provinces bordering Pakistan and Iran, including agricultural fields, irrigation canals, grazing areas, roads in residential and commercial areas, airports, power stations, and government installations. The United States first became involved in humanitarian demining in Afghanistan in 1988.