KABUL: The end of Nato’s combat mission in Afghanistan could be a watershed moment in tackling unexploded ordnance littering the country, but experts complain US-led forces need to hand over more information on where it all is. Decades of conflict since the Soviet invasion in 1979 have left landmines, shells, bombs and rockets scattered across towns, villages and fields, even after extensive clearance efforts that have safely removed millions of items.
All sides involved in the prolonged fighting have been responsible for UXO (unexploded ordnance), with children most at risk because of their curiosity and the fact they often play in unmarked minefields.