Member-only story
How long will children be hurt or killed by explosives in Afghanistan?
Sana Atef* and Mahtab Safi* authored this report for the Zan Times in Persian, and it was translated into English by Rustam Seerat.
On April 29, 2023, Rahila* was walking to school with seven other children in Jawzjan province when they discovered an object on the ground. They began throwing stones at it, and in doing so, changed their lives forever. It was an unexploded mine, which detonated, killing two of Rahila’s friends and injuring her and the rest of her children.
Rahila, 10, says still in pain. Her hands were severely injured in the explosion and there’s a small piece of shrapnel visible in her left arm. She has no memory of what happened to her and her friends, telling Zan Times, “We were playing and walking in the alley. Roya and Samana were ahead; they were the first to find the mine. A few minutes later, the fire came towards me and I fell to the ground.”
The eight children were all between the ages of 8 and 10. Rahila’s father was about to go by bicycle to his teaching job by bicycle when he heard the explosion. Rahman* rushed to the scene and discovered that his daughter and three nieces were among the injured while another niece had been killed. He and other residents…
