Landmines claim lives of 12 civilians in Afghanistan

By Shadi Khan Saif

KABUL, Afghanistan (AA) - At least 12 civilians were killed following landmine blasts in Afghanistan's restive Faryab and Daikundi provinces, an official said on Friday.

Eight passengers travelling from central Daikundi province to southern Kandahar province were killed when their mini bus hit a roadside landmine in the Nawamesh district, Haji Baal Khan, the district governor, told Anadolu Agency.

Blaming the Taliban for laying landmines, he said three more passengers got injured in the incident.

In an identical deadly incident, four children of the nomad community lost their lives and five others were injured when landmines exploded in northern Faryab province’s Dawlat Abad district.

According to the local Salam Afghanistan radio, the children were with a flock of sheep when the roadside landmine hit them.

As one of the world's most mined countries, Afghanistan is bearing the brunt of anti-personnel landmines.

According to the International Committee of Red Cross, as many as 750,000 people are threatened by the presence of mines and unexploded remnants of war in the war-ravaged country.