MINEFIELDS IN AFGHANISTAN

According to statistics released by British de-mining agency the Halo Trust, Afghanistan is the most mined country in the world. They also estimate that over 500,000 mines still lie dormant in this country.

Other agencies estimate that the number could be as high as ten million.

An anti-personnel land mine is generally designed to maim an adult. The theory is that you tie up an army's resources when you wound a person instead of killing him.

It is believed that approximately 100 Afghans are injured or killed by land mines each month. I have seen some statistics that say up to seven children a day are killed by land mines in Afghanistan.

I have personally seen many people without legs. I have little doubt that they were maimed by land mines.

I recently passed by a de-mining operation.
Much of the work is done manually, with workers probing by hand in the dirt looking for mines. To make matters worse, the Taliban often attack the de-mining teams. See http://www.afghanistannewscenter.com/news/2007/april/apr82007.html#3

If you would like to donate to the worthy effort to remove landmines from Afghanistan, please visit http://www.halotrust.org/help.html