DUSHANBE, February 24, 2011, Asia-Plus – A 14-year-old teenager has been killed as a mortar shell has exploded in Farkhor district, Khatlon province.
According to the Ministry of Interior (MoI), the tragedy took place on February 23. The teenager was pasturing cattle and inadvertently crossed over into the territory of the shooting ground of one of border units deployed in the district. “He found an unexploded mortar shell and attempted to dismantle it,” said the source, “The shell exploded and the boy died on the spot.”
Commenting on this incident, Jonmahmad Rajabov, director of the Tajik Mine Action Center (TMAC), said they have applied to the government, noting that many shooting grounds in the country are not fenced properly that poses threat to security of the population.
According to him, 363 persons have been killed and 466 others have been wounded by unexploded ordnance (UXO) and land mine explosions in the country since 1992. “30 percent of landmine and UXO victims are children,” the TMAC director said.
