Press release: Fatal accident in Afghanistan

Our colleague, a national of Afghanistan and a member of our humanitarian mine action team, was fatally injured on 20 August 2022 in Paghman district, Kabul province, while working on a de-mining task. No other colleagues suffered injuries.

“We are extremely saddened by the loss of our colleague who was a highly valued member of the team in Afghanistan. He will be forever missed, and our thoughts and support are with his family and relatives as they go through these difficult times,” says DRC Secretary General, Charlotte Slente.

“The safety of our staff is paramount and we must do all we can to prevent accidents like these. We are now in the process of investigating the circumstances behind the tragic event and we will be reviewing all safety protocols to ensure that we uphold the highest international mine action standards. It is absolutely crucial that our brave colleagues can perform their vital efforts to clear Afghanistan of mines and unexploded ordnance with the assurance that we value their safety above anything else”, says DRC Secretary General, Charlotte Slente.

DRC will work to establish the cause of the accident and cooperate fully with national authorities in that effort. DRC has been conducting humanitarian mine action in Afghanistan for over 20 years. Afghanistan is one of the countries in the world with the highest contamination of mines and unexploded ordnance, and de-mining efforts are crucial for the future of Afghanistan and its people.