Yesterday, July 31st 2019, a roadside bomb struck a bus in Afghanistan’s Farah province, killing at least 32 and injuring a further 15.
The bus was travelling on the main highway between Herat and Kandahar.
Children are among the casualties, with most of the wounded also said to be in a critical condition.
No group has claimed responsibility for the blast. Both the Taliban and ISIS operate in the area.
AOAV records casualties (i.e. people killed and injured) from explosive violence around the world as reported in English-language news sources.
The level of civilian casualties from explosive violence in Afghanistan in July was over twice the level seen in any of the previous months this year. In fact, the civilian casualties recorded last month makes it the worst month for civilian casualties from explosive violence in Afghanistan that AOAV has ever recorded.
Over 86% of the civilian casualties from explosive violence in Afghanistan so far this year were caused by improvised explosive devices (IEDs).
AOAV calls for states and international organisations to work collaboratively to generate greater awareness of the number of civilians killed and injured each year by IEDs, and encourage a greater stigma from political, religious and social leaders on the use of IEDs. There is an urgent need for preventative measures to be implemented by States and the international community.
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