Afghanistan recorded 193 explosive ordnance incidents over the past year, resulting in 87 deaths and 333 injuries, according to the National Disaster Preparedness Authority (NDPA).

Mohammad Yousuf Hamad, head of information and public relations at the NDPA, said children made up the majority of victims, accounting for 67.5 percent of total casualties.

He noted that mine clearance teams cleared 58 kilometres of contaminated land and neutralised 24,720 mines during the same period.

Hamad added that 155 mine clearance teams are currently operating nationwide, while more than two million people have been reached through explosive hazard awareness programmes.

Despite these efforts, an estimated 106,000 kilometres of land across Afghanistan remain contaminated.

The update follows a warning from the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), which said Afghanistan ranks third globally for casualties caused by explosive ordnance.

UNAMA reported that children account for around 80 percent of victims, many injured or killed while playing near unexploded devices.

UNAMA has called for increased funding for non-governmental organisations involved in mine clearance, stressing that sustained support is critical to protecting vulnerable communities and saving lives.

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Uzbekistan and Pakistan have agreed to begin fieldwork on the long-planned Trans-Afghan railway project, a key regional connectivity initiative aimed at linking Central and South Asia, according to Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Investment, Industry and Trade.

The agreement was reached during the 10th session of the Pakistan–Uzbekistan Intergovernmental Commission on Trade, Economic and Scientific-Technical Cooperation, co-chaired by Pakistan’s Special Assistant to the Prime Minister for Industries and Production, Haroon Akhtar Khan, and Uzbekistan’s Minister of Investment, Industry and Trade, Laziz Kudratov.

The two sides also agreed to adopt a new format for regular commission meetings to improve coordination and accelerate joint projects.

The railway is seen as a strategic project for landlocked Central Asian states seeking access to global markets, while also offering Pakistan expanded trade routes into Central Asia.

Afghanistan’s role as a transit country places it at the centre of the initiative, with the project expected to generate transit revenue, jobs and infrastructure development.

Uzbekistan, Pakistan and Afghanistan signed a framework agreement on July 17, 2025, to prepare a feasibility study for the railway. The planned 647-kilometre line will follow the Termez–Naibabad–Maidanshahr–Logar–Kharlachi route, linking Uzbekistan to Pakistan’s rail network and providing access to Karachi and other seaports.

The project’s preliminary cost is estimated at $4.6 billion, and its implementation will depend on financing, security conditions and sustained regional cooperation.

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Abdul Rahman Munir, Deputy Minister for Counter-Narcotics, met with Mahmoud Khadimov, Head of the Central Asian Regional Information and Coordination Center (CARICC), and Azizbek Arkaboyev, adviser to the center, to discuss expanding joint efforts in combating drug trafficking.

During the meeting, Munir welcomed the CARICC delegation and emphasized that the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, particularly the Counter-Narcotics Directorate, maintains comprehensive cooperation with neighboring and Central Asian countries. He called for further strengthening of these regional partnerships.

CARICC officials assured that they are committed to improving coordination and developing more effective collaboration with Afghanistan in counter-narcotics initiatives.

The meeting comes as the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) reported a shift in drug consumption patterns in Afghanistan, noting a gradual move from traditional narcotics toward synthetic drugs and misuse of pharmaceutical medications.

According to the latest National Drug Use Survey—the third and final volume—cannabis (46%) and opium (19%) remain the most widely consumed substances.

However, the use of prescription tablets such as “ka” (11%) and methamphetamine (7%) is on the rise.

The survey was conducted in collaboration with UNODC and supported by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), highlighting the growing challenges Afghanistan faces in addressing evolving drug trends.