From: Ina Iankulova (iiankulova@sorosny.org)
Date: Wed Apr 30 2003 - 11:58:24 EDT
LAND-MINE BLAST IN AFGHANISTAN REPORTEDLY KILLS TWO, INJURES MANY
Two people were killed and 29 injured in the Chahi District of Balkh Province on 29 April when a tractor pulling a wagon on which they were traveling detonated a land mine, Balkh Radio reported. General Abdul Sabur, an official from the Mazar-e Sharif military corps, said an investigation has been ordered to determine whether the mine was laid during the Afghan civil war or was freshly laid, the BBC reported on 30 April. Meanwhile, Hindukosh news agency cited General Ata Mohammad, commander of Military Corps No. 7, as saying that two people were injured and one was killed as a result of the blast. Afghanistan remains one of the world's most heavily mined countries, largely due to the mining efforts of invading Soviet forces in 1979-89. Rival factions in Afghanistan continue to lay new mines, and Balkh Province is one of the areas where the Jamiyat-e Islami party, which is represented by Ata Mohammad, is confronting Junbish-e Melli forces loyal to Deputy Defense Minister Abdul Rashid Dostum. AT
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