Afghanistan: 3 children killed in blast

Three boys were killed and 12 children injured when a blast occurred on the outskirts of Puli Khumri, the provincial capital of Bhaglan in North Afghanistan. According to Associated Press, provincial police spokesman Jawed Basharat said the group of children aged between seven and 12 were playing in the area and might have stepped on a landmine left behind from the Afghan-Soviet War.

While Bhaglan is listed as having been cleared of landmines, officials believe the might have been the stray mine or unexploded ordinance left in the region. More than 530sq km of Afghanistan have been identified as contaminated by mines and unexploded ordinance left behind from the wars the country has fought through. According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Assistance to Afghanistan, there are about 10m landmines in the country.