KABUL, Afghanistan - Elders from a village located approximately 15 km west of Kandahar City alleged today that two local children were killed and two were wounded when unexploded ordnance they were handling detonated. It is alleged that the unexploded ordnance was left behind by ISAF soldiers who were conducting a practice range exercise in the area the day prior, however the nature of the munition involved has yet to be determined.
"Any civilian death is regrettable and our thoughts go to the families in these trying moments," said Brigadier-General Richard Blanchette, ISAF Spokesperson. "ISAF has very strict policies in place that prohibit leaving behind any unexploded ordnance and make every effort to ensure the safety of Afghan civilians. Qualified personnel conduct detailed examination and complete sweeps of range sites prior to departing to ensure that the range area is completely safe for both ISAF and ANSF soldiers as well as local village members and infrastructure. This incident is currently under investigation."
ISAF operates a vigorous educational campaign aimed at informing and encouraging Afghans not to handle any suspicious objects or clearly identified unexploded ordnance on the ground.
Contact Information
ISAF Public Affairs Office
Tel: +93 (0)79 51 1155 - Mobile: 0093 (0) 799 55 8291
pressoffice@hq.isaf.nato.int
www.nato.int/isaf/