At least six Afghan civilians were killed and several more were wounded when a mortar shell hit a house during a wedding ceremony in northern Kapisa province, security officials said on Sunday. 
 
The explosion on Saturday evening was in the Tagab district, which has seen fighting between the Afghan government forces and the Taliban insurgents. 
 
Shayeq Shoresh, a spokesman for the provincial police, blamed the Taliban for firing the mortar and added that at least six civilians, including women and children, were killed and four more wounded. 
 
But a senior security official in Kabul put the death toll at at least 10 and the number of wounded at 18. 
 
A Taliban spokesman dismissed the allegation and said the mortar was fired by Afghan security forces. 
 
Afghan civilians often bear the brunt of the attacks as they are&nbsp;caught in the crossfire. 
 
Violence has sharply increased across the country since Washington announced plans last month to pull out all US&nbsp;troops out of Afghanistan by September&nbsp;11. 
 
Nearly 1,800 Afghan civilians were killed or wounded in the first three months of 2021 during fighting between government forces and Taliban insurgents despite efforts to find peace, the United Nations said last month. 
 
According to the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission’s annual report last year, there were 8,500 civilian casualties in 2020, including 2,958 deaths.

(With inputs from agencies) &nbsp;

At least six Afghan civilians were killed and several more were wounded when a mortar shell hit a house during a wedding ceremony in northern Kapisa province, security officials said on Sunday.

At least six Afghan civilians were killed and several more were wounded when a mortar shell hit a house during a wedding ceremony in northern Kapisa province, security officials said on Sunday. The explosion on Saturday evening was in the Tagab district, which has seen fighting between the Afghan government forces and the Taliban insurgents. Shayeq Shoresh, a spokesman for the provincial police, blamed the Taliban for firing the mortar and added that at least six civilians, including women and children, were killed and four more wounded. But a senior security official in Kabul put the death toll at at least 10 and the number of wounded at 18. A Taliban spokesman dismissed the allegation and said the mortar was fired by Afghan security forces. Afghan civilians often bear the brunt of the attacks as they are caught in the crossfire. Violence has sharply increased across the country since Washington announced plans last month to pull out all US troops out of Afghanistan by September 11. Nearly 1,800 Afghan civilians were killed or wounded in the first three months of 2021 during fighting between government forces and Taliban insurgents despite efforts to find peace, the United Nations said last month. According to the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission’s annual report last year, there were 8,500 civilian casualties in 2020, including 2,958 deaths. (With inputs from agencies)

Mortar shell hits Afghan wedding, kills at least six

Seven children were killed and 10 more wounded Sunday when an unexploded mortar shell blew up in eastern Afghanistan, an official said.

The incident appears to be the latest instance of discarded ordnance claiming civilian lives, in a country littered with landmines, homemade bombs and old shells.

Assadullah Dawlatzai, the Laghman governor's spokesman, said the circumstances around how the children found the mortar and why it exploded were under investigation.&nbsp;All the victims were below the age of 15, he said.

Abdul Marouf Jalili, the head of the Laghman provincial hospital, said seven bodies and 10 wounded victims had been brought to the facility.&nbsp;He confirmed all were children.

The blast occurred on the outskirts of Mehtarlam, the capital of Laghman province, east of Kabul.

The United Nations Mine Action Service recently said that in 2017, about 150 people each month were killed or wounded in Afghanistan by mines and so-called explosive remnants of war.&nbsp;Curious kids often pick up the devices.

While many landmines come from the Afghan-Soviet war in the 1980s and the civil war in the 1990s, casualties have increased from homemade bombs as a result of the intensifying fight between the Afghan government and the Taliban.

Seven children were killed and 10 more wounded Sunday when an unexploded mortar shell blew up in eastern Afghanistan, an official said. The incident appears to be the latest instance of discarded ordnance claiming civilian lives, in a country littered with landmines, homemade bombs and old shells.

Seven children were killed and 10 more wounded Sunday when an unexploded mortar shell blew up in eastern Afghanistan, an official said. The incident appears to be the latest instance of discarded ordnance claiming civilian lives, in a country littered with landmines, homemade bombs and old shells. Assadullah Dawlatzai, the Laghman governor's spokesman, said the circumstances around how the children found the mortar and why it exploded were under investigation. All the victims were below the age of 15, he said. Abdul Marouf Jalili, the head of the Laghman provincial hospital, said seven bodies and 10 wounded victims had been brought to the facility. He confirmed all were children. The blast occurred on the outskirts of Mehtarlam, the capital of Laghman province, east of Kabul. The United Nations Mine Action Service recently said that in 2017, about 150 people each month were killed or wounded in Afghanistan by mines and so-called explosive remnants of war. Curious kids often pick up the devices. While many landmines come from the Afghan-Soviet war in the 1980s and the civil war in the 1990s, casualties have increased from homemade bombs as a result of the intensifying fight between the Afghan government and the Taliban.

Unexploded mortar shell kills seven children in Afghanistan

Eight children, including four siblings, were killed in Afghanistan when a mortar shell they were playing with exploded, relatives said Saturday, adding to the ever-growing civilian toll in the 17-year war.

Another six children were wounded in the blast on Friday, including two who had lost limbs and were in a critical condition in a hospital in the northwestern province of Faryab. All the children were aged between five and 12.

"They found an unexploded mortar shell and brought it near our house," Shukrullah, an uncle of four of the children killed, told AFP.

"They didn't know what it was and were trying to open it when it suddenly exploded." Mohammad Alam, who was a cousin of four of the children, said he heard a "big explosion".

"I rushed to the site and saw the kids covered in blood," Alam told AFP from the hospital.

"They had found an unexploded shell and were playing with it when it went off." Officials were quick to blame the explosion on the Taliban, which last week captured Koh-e-Sayad village where the children lived.

The militants had planted a mine near a security checkpoint, Faryab police spokesman Abdul Karim Yoresh told AFP.

"On Friday afternoon the children were passing the area when the mine hit them," Yoresh said.

Children are often killed or maimed by explosive devices left over from decades of conflict, carelessly discarded or deliberately planted.

Civilians, including children, have borne the brunt of the conflict which began with the US-led invasion in 2001 that toppled the Taliban regime.

UN figures show 3,179 children were killed or wounded in 2017, accounting for almost one-third of the total civilian casualties for the year.

Improvised explosive devices, such as remotely detonated or pressure-plate bombs, killed or wounded 545 of them. Unexploded ordnance claimed the lives of 142 children and wounded 376 in the same period.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Eight children, including four siblings, were killed in Afghanistan when a mortar shell they were playing with exploded, relatives said Saturday, adding to the ever-growing civilian toll in the 17-year war.

Eight children, including four siblings, were killed in Afghanistan when a mortar shell they were playing with exploded, relatives said Saturday, adding to the ever-growing civilian toll in the 17-year war. Another six children were wounded in the blast on Friday, including two who had lost limbs and were in a critical condition in a hospital in the northwestern province of Faryab. All the children were aged between five and 12. "They found an unexploded mortar shell and brought it near our house," Shukrullah, an uncle of four of the children killed, told AFP. "They didn't know what it was and were trying to open it when it suddenly exploded." Mohammad Alam, who was a cousin of four of the children, said he heard a "big explosion". "I rushed to the site and saw the kids covered in blood," Alam told AFP from the hospital. "They had found an unexploded shell and were playing with it when it went off." Officials were quick to blame the explosion on the Taliban, which last week captured Koh-e-Sayad village where the children lived. The militants had planted a mine near a security checkpoint, Faryab police spokesman Abdul Karim Yoresh told AFP. "On Friday afternoon the children were passing the area when the mine hit them," Yoresh said. Children are often killed or maimed by explosive devices left over from decades of conflict, carelessly discarded or deliberately planted. Civilians, including children, have borne the brunt of the conflict which began with the US-led invasion in 2001 that toppled the Taliban regime. UN figures show 3,179 children were killed or wounded in 2017, accounting for almost one-third of the total civilian casualties for the year. Improvised explosive devices, such as remotely detonated or pressure-plate bombs, killed or wounded 545 of them. Unexploded ordnance claimed the lives of 142 children and wounded 376 in the same period.

Eight Afghan children killed playing with unexploded mortar shell

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