Surroundings explosion

An explosion in Afghanistan’s eastern Nangarhar province has killed three children, according to reports.
Three children were killed after a mortar shell they reportedly found exploded in Khugiani district of Afghanistan’s eastern Nangarhar province, local sources said.
The incident occurred on Tuesday evening in the Zawa area of Khugiani, according to reports. The children, aged between seven and 10, were reportedly playing with the mortar shell after finding it when it exploded.
Local sources said the blast killed all three children. No further details were immediately available about the type of mortar shell, the circumstances of the explosion or whether authorities had secured the area following the incident.
The incident highlights the continuing danger posed by unexploded ordnance left from decades of conflict in Afghanistan. UNMAS says explosive hazards continue to affect communities across the country, with thousands of identified hazardous areas remaining and explosive contamination restricting access to farmland, grazing areas, homes and public facilities.
Nangarhar has previously been among the areas affected by explosive remnants of war. UNMAS has documented mine and unexploded-ordnance contamination in several districts of the province, including Khugiani, and has supported community-based demining operations in the area.
Humanitarian mine-action organizations have repeatedly warned that children are particularly vulnerable to unexploded ordnance because abandoned explosive items can resemble ordinary objects or attract curiosity. UNMAS has emphasized explosive-ordnance risk education as an important measure to prevent such incidents.
The latest deaths add to the continuing civilian toll from explosive remnants of Afghanistan’s prolonged conflicts, even years after fighting has ended in many affected areas.