No group has claimed responsibility for the blast, and the Taliban did not immediately respond to a request for comment following the deaths of the children, the latest victims in a growing toll of civilian casualties in the war.
Representational image (Photo: IStock)
At least nine schoolchildren were killed on Saturday after a mine exploded in the northeastern province of Afghanistan, according to police.
The blast took place in Darqad district of Takhar province when the children, aged between eight and 11, stepped on the bomb planted on a road in a Taliban-controlled village.
“In the morning on the roadside, nine children were killed in a landmine blast placed by the Taliban. Three children, who were part of the group, are missing,” Jawad Hejri, a spokesman for the Takhar provincial governor, told Al Jazeera.
Advertisement
No group has claimed responsibility for the blast, and the Taliban did not immediately respond to a request for comment following the deaths of the children, the latest victims in a growing toll of civilian casualties in the war.
“This area is under Taliban control and since security forces launched attacks to clear it, the Taliban have planted anti-personnel mines,” Khalil Asir further said.
In May, a landmine killed seven children and wounded two more in the southern province of Ghazni.
Last month, the United Nations released a report saying an “unprecedented” number of civilians were killed or wounded in Afghanistan from July to September this year.
Earlier, seven children were killed and many wounded in the eastern province of Laghman after a mortar shell exploded while they were playing with it.
The Taliban often uses roadside bombs and landmines to target Afghan security forces, but the lethal weapons also inflict casualties on civilians.
Advertisement
