Six Children Injured in Accidental Mortar Shell Explosion in Maidan Wardak

At least six children were injured on Wednesday after accidentally detonating a recovered mortar shell in Maidan Wardak province. The incident occurred in Urmar village, located in the Daimirdad district, according to local authorities. Officials from the Natural Disaster Preparedness Department confirmed that the children discovered the unexploded ordnance and triggered the blast while handling it.

Following the explosion, emergency responders transported all six injured children to the provincial hospital in Maidan Shahr for medical treatment. Authorities reported a split in the severity of the injuries, with three children sustaining minor wounds and the remaining three listed in critical condition. Medical staff at the facility are currently providing ongoing care to the victims.

The detonation in Daimirdad is part of a broader pattern of unexploded ordnance incidents reported across the country on the same day. Officials also documented separate explosions in Parwan and Nangarhar provinces on Wednesday, which resulted in additional casualties. Those incidents similarly involved children who came into contact with leftover explosive materials.

Local authorities have repeatedly warned residents, particularly parents and children, to avoid touching or moving any unidentified metal objects or suspected remnants of past conflicts. Communities are urged to immediately report the discovery of unexploded munitions to local security or disaster management offices so that specialized teams can safely secure and dispose of the materials.