PANJWAI DISTRICT, Afghanistan – One Afghan child was killed and another severely wounded by an improvised explosive device (IED) placed near Gerandai village, Panjwai district, Kandahar province, June 11.
The two victims were trying to gather food to feed their family’s animals when they stepped on an IED at the entrance of a grape hut on their property. The father of the two boys carried his injured sons to a nearby coalition forces team, who provided emergency medical care to the young boys.
One child, approximately seven-years-old, died of his wounds, and the other boy, approximately 14-years-old, lost both his legs, above the knee, due to the blast.
His family transported him to a nearby hospital for further treatment. No additional information about the victim’s condition is known at this time.
The father of the two boys expressed his frustration for insurgent activity to Afghan National Army Special Forces (ANASF) who work with the coalition forces team.
“I and many villagers are fed-up with foreign fighters coming to our villages, taking over our homes, placing IEDs on property, and killing children,” said the grieving father.
The family transported the victim’s remains to their home in Gerandai village, an area known for its insurgent-emplaced IED belts.
The Taliban considers Afghan National Security Forces the most significant threat to their activities. Attacks such as these on the Afghan people demonstrate the insurgency’s concern over the strength of ANSF.