Afghanistan: Landmine explosion kills 9 school children

Nine kids lost their lives in an explosion in southeastern Afghanistan triggered by a landmine that was planted during the country’s long history of conflict, Dawn online news agency reported today.

The incident occurred when a group of young boys and girls were playing with the landmine in the Geru district of Ghazni province on Sunday, the source cited local authorities.

Swathes of Afghanistan are littered with unexploded mines, grenades and mortars from decades of conflict, spanning from the Soviet invasion in 1979, the civil war that followed, and the 20-year Taliban insurgency against foreign-backed governments.