KAPISA PROVINCE, Afghanistan — French soldiers provided medical treatment for young Afghans seriously injured by an improvised explosive device, March 11.
The IED, whose detonator was triggered by a push, exploded in the middle of a group of children and teenagers who were playing in Joybar village, northwest of Forward Operational Base Kutchbach.
The explosion killed five children and seriously wounded three others. The three injured children were treated by medical personnel from Task Force Black Rock, airlifted by a French helicopter, and brought to a military hospital located at the Kabul airport.
After arrival at the military hospital, the children were assessed by French medical personnel, operated on and hospitalized.
The French military stay in constant contact with villagers so that they can provide life-saving medical treatment for all injured people in need of medical treatment.
According to the 2009 United Nations report, insurgents are responsible for the deaths of 1350 Afghan civilians, 900 were killed by IEDs.