In December of 1979, the first soviet tanks entered northern Afghanistan through Hairatan, marking the beginning of a war that would last over a decade. Millions of soviet anti-tank and anti-personnel mines were planted along grazing lands, schools, paths and irrigation systems throughout the country, as a way to slow down the advancing Mujahideen. Over the past 30 years, it is estimated that around 10 millions landmines have been introduced into Afghanistan. Thousands of civilians are killed...
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In December of 1979, the first soviet tanks entered northern Afghanistan through Hairatan, marking the beginning of a war that would last over a decade. Millions of soviet anti-tank and anti-personnel mines were planted along grazing lands, schools, paths and irrigation systems throughout the country, as a way to slow down the advancing Mujahideen. Over the past 30 years, it is estimated that around 10 millions landmines have been introduced into Afghanistan. Thousands of civilians are killed or injured each year from mines and unexploded ordnance. In today's conflict, insurgents use unexploded ordnance material to produce most of the improvised explosive devices currently used against international and Afghan Military forces. After more than 30 years of war, thousands of poverty stricken Afghans earn a living collecting metal scraps. "Scrappies", a term used by many of the de-mining teams working to remove UXO's across Afghanistan, refers to children who collect metal scraps in areas contaminated by landmines. Hundreds of them loose their lives each year from unexploded mines. Today, the cycle of contamination by mines and other explosive material continues outside the bases of the NATO forces. Hundreds of unexploded 40mm grenades and other explosives litter a shooting range outside of Bagram Airbase. Used as a military target area, helicopters shoot hellfire missiles onto the same hilltops used by sheep herders and, well, "Scrappies". An area that lacks proper warning signs and physical barriers, this shooting range produces dozens of injuries and deaths each year by UXO's. According to officials responsible for removing these "contaminated" areas, it will take decades to free Afghanistan's open areas from the effects of its latest war - the one that began on December of 2001 and that continues to this day.
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