Message from the First Deputy PM on the occasion of International Mine Action Day

April 2, 2022

Dear Compatriots,

The devastating legacy of war in Afghanistan has left a tragic mark, claiming the lives of thousands of our fellow citizens and leaving many more permanently disabled. The fear of landmines persists, posing a constant threat to the lives of our people.

However, with the end of the occupation, Afghanistan is now governed by the unified central system of the Islamic Emirate. The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan acknowledges the efforts of all domestic and international deminers and calls on the global community to collaborate with Afghans in addressing the challenges resulting from four decades of conflict, including the pervasive danger of landmines in our villages, roads, and deserts.

Deminers, both domestic and international, have faced incredibly harsh conditions, traveling from village to village and even house to house, seeking out mines in mountains and deserts. On this International Mine Awareness Day, I extend my heartfelt thanks to all deminers and related agencies for their past and ongoing work in Afghanistan.

I hope for a future where Afghanistan is entirely free from the threat of landmines. Over the past forty years, thousands of deminers have encountered landmines, with hundreds losing their lives or being injured. I wish paradise for the martyrs and extend my condolences to their families.

I assure the demining agencies and active deminers in Afghanistan that the Islamic Emirate stands with you, supports you, and will cooperate to the fullest extent possible to resolve these problems.