Afghanistan: The perils of mine clearance

Mohammad Aman has defused hundreds of anti-personnel landmines in various parts of Afghanistan in more than 13 years as a de-miner with the Mine Detection Center (MDC), a local NGO. "If each mine were to kill, maim or injure at least one person then I have saved more than 1,000 people and I am proud of that," he told IRIN in Kabul. Mine clearance often requires working in very remote areas where de-miners are exposed to greater security risks and attacks by various armed and criminal groups. "We not only face risks of hidden mines and ERWs [explosive remnants of war], but also those of abduction and death by criminal gangs and the armed opposition groups," Aman said.