Toronto, April 7, 2026 – Nearly one child a day on average is killed or injured by explosive ordnance in Afghanistan, prompting Save the Children to use camels to bring mine awareness education to children in remote agricultural areas.
Between January 2025 and January 2026, 338 girls and boys were killed or maimed in Afghanistan by explosive ordnance, including remnants of war, such as landmines and other devices, according to the country’s mine action directorate. Children accounted for nearly 70% of all explosive ordnance casualties during this period [1].
Children are especially vulnerable as they encounter explosive ordnance during play, herding animals or collecting scrap metal. Afghanistan has the highest share of recorded child casualties from explosive ordnance globally, comprising 43% of the worldwide total of children killed or injured by explosive ordnance since 1999 [2]. On International Mine Awareness Day, this highlights the urgent need to protect children from deadly explosive weapons.
More than 2.7 million people, about 6% of the Afghan population, live within one kilometre of an explosive remnant of war, with nearly 5,000 known hazards still to be removed [3]. Most of the explosive remnants of war are found on grazing land, home to nomadic shepherds like the Kochis.
Many of the Kochi community travel hundreds of kilometres every year with camels and livestock in search of water and pasture, and lack access to essential services, such as health, nutrition, education and protection.
Save the Children is providing mobile services that travel with the nomads and also support residents in remote villages. The innovative programme uses a camel-carried tent stocked with toys and books to offer psychosocial support and learning opportunities, including explosive ordnance risk awareness. Children learn about the dangers of handling scrap metal that may be explosive remnants of war and how to seek help if they find a suspicious object.
Samir*, 30, is a shepherd in central Afghanistan and his 12-year-old son attends the activities in the camel-borne tent. Two years ago, two children from his community tragically lost their lives after unknowingly handling ordnance they believed was a toy.
Samir* said:
“I have told my children not to touch suspicious objects. We have shown them examples of what they look like and told them to report them.
“Sometimes, we lose our sheep because of ordnance explosions.”
Ehsanullah*, 13, is from the resident community and participated in Save the Children’s explosive ordnance risk education sessions in northern Afghanistan. He said:
” I found a bullet in the corner of a wall in our house.. so I came to class and reported it.
“My siblings are younger than me. I tell them when you find a bullet, don’t touch it. I tell them when they see an iron object, they should not touch it because that is a mine. If they see it, they should go and inform the community elder.”
Explosive weapons are killing and injuring children globally at a scale never seen before. Children are disproportionately impacted by explosive weapons due to their smaller body size. Blast injuries in a growing child can cause lifelong medical challenges, making recovery longer, more complex, and more costly than for adults.
Bujar Hoxha, Country Director, Save the Children in Afghanistan, said:
“Children in Afghanistan are impacted by the legacy of decades of conflict on a daily basis. Explosive remnants of war are still scattered across the country, with children at risk of death or injury where they play, sleep and tend to animals.
“By teaching children in remote parts of Afghanistan to recognise explosive ordnance and having a system in place to alert others to the danger, we can save lives and prevent tragedy.”
The explosive ordnance risk education sessions are part of a wider Save the Children programme that provides essential services across nomadic, returnee and resident communities in remote areas of Afghanistan. It aims to address ongoing challenges of poverty and food insecurity and to reduce resource-related tensions.
The programme includes health and nutrition clinics, water, sanitation and hygiene services and child protection and is run in partnership with The Liaison Office (TLO), an Afghan NGO. So far, more than 120,000 people – including nearly 51,000 children – have benefitted in three provinces in Afghanistan.
Save the Children has been working in Afghanistan since 1976, including during periods of conflict and natural disasters. We have programmes in nine provinces and work with partners in an additional 11 provinces. We deliver services spanning health, nutrition, education, child protection, shelter, water, sanitation, hygiene and livelihoods.
References:
* Denotes name changed to protect identity
[1] Data from DMAC, the Directorate of Mine Action Co-ordination in Afghanistan
[2] https://icblcmc.org/assets/Resource-Hub/2025/Factsheet-Impact-on-Children_Final-Web.pdf
[3] Data from MAPA, the Mine Action Programme in Afghanistan
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