Explosion kills at least 15 children in Afghanistan’s Ghazni province

Responding to the explosion in eastern Afghanistan that has killed at least 15 children, Save the Children's Country Director in Afghanistan Chris Nyamandi said, “The reason for the explosion is unclear. Some say it was a bomb, others a piece of unexploded ordnance that blew up. Either way, we are appalled and sickened that so many children have been killed.

“Sadly, conflict related child deaths and injuries are far too common in Afghanistan. In our recent report Stop the War on Children we revealed that between 2005 and 2019, at least 26,025 children have been killed or maimed in Afghanistan – an average of five children every single day over the past 14 years.

“Four decades of conflict in Afghanistan has had a devastating impact on the lives of children and young people. Their education has been heavily disrupted, and many have been maimed or killed by explosive weapons or attacks on schools and other places of learning.

“We call for all parties to the conflict to agree lasting and enduring peace so that future generations of Afghan children can grow up in a country free of violence and fear.”