The Deadliest Battlefield: Unraveling Afghanistan's Most Treacherous War Zone

Afghanistan has been deemed the most dangerous country in the world, with the highest number of deaths from war and terrorism. The country has been in a state of war with terrorists for several years, and the situation is extremely dangerous and unstable, making it a high-risk destination for travellers. The whole country is considered a dangerous area, with the capital city of Kabul attracting particular attention from the Taliban. The US war in Afghanistan has failed to bring peace, and the country remains volatile, with the Taliban controlling or contesting a large proportion of its districts.

The war has had a devastating impact on the Afghan people, especially children, who face limited access to education, healthcare, and basic human rights. The country has a high infant mortality rate, and malnutrition, sexual abuse, and forced marriages are prevalent issues. The education system is lacking in infrastructure, and schools have frequently been the target of terrorist attacks. The situation is particularly dire for young girls, who often fall victim to gender-based violence and are denied educational and career opportunities.

The country also faces widespread poverty, with 54% of the population experiencing extreme poverty and lacking access to clean water. The ongoing conflict has disrupted vital vaccination campaigns, and humanitarian organisations working to alleviate these issues have themselves become targets of violence. Overall, Afghanistan remains a highly unsafe country, with violent crime, kidnapping, and natural disasters such as earthquakes posing significant risks to its people and any potential visitors.

Afghanistan is the most dangerous place in the world for a child to be born

Afghanistan has been deemed the most dangerous place in the world for a child to be born. The war-ravaged state has the highest infant mortality rate globally, with 257 deaths per 1,000 live births. Seventy percent of Afghans lack access to clean drinking water, and the country is the second poorest in the world, with 54% of the population experiencing extreme poverty.

The country's instability and insecurity have made it difficult to carry out vaccination campaigns against polio and measles, which can be deadly for children. The presence of the Taliban and other insurgent groups also poses a significant threat to children's safety and access to education, especially for girls.

In addition to the high mortality rates, malnutrition, sexual abuse, and forced marriages are prevalent issues for children in Afghanistan. The country also has a high rate of child labour, with many children working as domestic servants, water carriers, or street beggars to provide for themselves and their families.

The situation is particularly dangerous for girls, who often face gender-based violence and lack access to education due to cultural norms and the lack of female teachers. The country also has a high rate of child marriages, with one in three Afghan girls married before the age of 18.

Overall, the combination of conflict, poverty, lack of access to basic services, and human rights abuses makes Afghanistan an extremely dangerous place for children to be born and grow up.

The country has the highest infant mortality rate in the world

Afghanistan has the highest infant mortality rate in the world. In 2020, there were 52 infant deaths per 1,000 live births, meaning that most child deaths occur during infancy. This is a significant decline from the 19th century when the child mortality rate was around 475 deaths per 1,000 births. However, despite this improvement, Afghanistan still has one of the highest child mortality rates in the world.

The high infant mortality rate in Afghanistan is largely due to inadequate access to healthcare for women and mothers. Many women have to give birth at home without a doctor or with unskilled birth attendants, which reduces the baby's chances of survival. There is a lack of healthcare professionals and facilities in Afghanistan, with more than 10% of Afghans having to travel over two hours to reach a medical facility. This leaves many mothers in an unsanitary birthing environment. In addition, illness, infection, and poor nutrition create a challenging environment for newborn babies.

The Taliban's laws and restrictions have further exacerbated the issue. Since 2021, women have faced even more limitations on receiving prenatal and postpartum care. According to Frontline, women are not allowed to travel more than 45 minutes without a male guardian, making it nearly impossible for most women to access medical facilities. In some cases, the law prohibits women from receiving treatment from a male doctor unless their male escort is present, causing embarrassment and shame for women seeking reproductive care.

The combination of inadequate healthcare and Taliban restrictions has severe consequences for the health and well-being of women and children in Afghanistan.

70% of the population lacks access to clean water

Afghanistan has been deemed the most dangerous place in the world for a child to be born, with 70% of the population lacking access to clean water. The country has been in a constant state of war since the 1970s, with the most recent US-led war ending in 2021. The war has decimated the country, destroying much of its infrastructure, including water pump stations, and leaving the population without access to clean water sources.

The lack of access to clean water has severe consequences for the health and well-being of Afghans, especially children. Contaminated water and poor sanitation are major contributors to diseases such as diarrhea, which is the leading cause of illness in children under five years old. Inadequate water and sanitation also lead to malnutrition, stunted growth, and other health problems such as helminth infection and anemia. The lack of clean water also affects girls and women disproportionately, as they are often responsible for fetching water and are robbed of precious hours for education or pursuing livelihoods. Additionally, water scarcity can drive parents to offer their daughters into child marriage as a last resort against hunger.

The water crisis in Afghanistan is not solely due to the war but is also exacerbated by geographical constraints, climate change, and a lack of education on clean water and sanitation. Afghanistan is a landlocked country and has historically had disputes with its neighbors over water rights from its mountain rivers. The natural flow of snow runoff from the mountains flows through Afghanistan into neighboring countries, and the lack of reservoirs, canals, and infrastructure results in a significant amount of water loss. Climate change further worsens the situation, with higher temperatures causing earlier snowmelt and reduced water availability during the summer months.

The water crisis has severe implications for public health, food security, and socio-economic development in Afghanistan. It is essential that efforts are made to improve access to clean water and sanitation facilities to alleviate the suffering of the Afghan people, particularly children, who are the most vulnerable to the devastating effects of this crisis.

The country is the least peaceful in the world

Afghanistan has been deemed the least peaceful country in the world, replacing Syria as the least peaceful country in the 2019 Global Peace Index (GPI). The GPI is produced by the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP) and is the world's leading measure of global peacefulness. It covers 99.7% of the world's population and is calculated using 23 qualitative and quantitative indicators from highly respected sources. The GPI measures the state of peace across three domains: the level of Societal Safety and Security, the extent of Ongoing Domestic and International Conflict, and the degree of Militarisation.

Afghanistan has not been at peace since the 1970s. After decades of internal intra-state conflicts and droughts, most of the Afghan population is now struggling below the poverty line and experiencing a wide range of security issues. The country is ridden by war and violence, with the Taliban and other militant groups launching near-daily attacks on Afghan security forces, government forces, and civilians. The Taliban has gained notoriety for attacking schools, setting them on fire, and banning women from educational settings and public places. The country also has the highest infant mortality rate in the world and 70% of the population lacks access to clean water.

The security situation in Afghanistan has been degrading for years, with the scope and intensity of internal conflict steadily increasing since at least 2014. Afghanistan has seen a degradation in eighteen of the GPI's indicators since 2008, with many being in the 'Safety and Security' category. This includes a 66.6% rise in violent crime, a 33.7% rise in violent demonstrations, and an 80.6% rise in the number of internal conflicts fought. Only two indicators have shown improvement: the number of deaths from external conflict and one relating to UN peacekeeper funding.

The economic impact of violence in Afghanistan was $16.5 trillion in 2021, equivalent to 10.9% of global GDP, or $2,117 per person. Afghanistan also suffered one of the largest proportional economic costs due to violence in the world. The economic cost of violence in the country was 40.3% of its total national GDP, making it the third most affected country, with only Syria and South Sudan having a higher relative impact.

It has the highest number of terrorist attacks aimed at schools

Afghanistan has been deemed the most dangerous place in the world, with the highest number of terrorist attacks aimed at schools. The country has been in a state of war with terrorists for several years, with women having no rights and treated as property. The whole country is considered a dangerous area at this time, according to the United States government.

The Taliban has gained notoriety for attacking schools or setting them on fire, while the Islamic State has started shutting down girls' schools in their stronghold in Nanghar Province. Classrooms are also turned into de facto active battlegrounds with all sides involved in the intra-state war, including the state forces, using schools as military bases.

The Taliban has been responsible for several attacks on schools, including:

• In 2004, the Taliban aggressively campaigned to close the schools in Maruf district, Kandahar, a partially mountainous area on the border with Pakistan.
• In 2005, the Taliban changed tactics, away from direct confrontations and instead began focusing on civilians and civilian institutions, such as teachers, low-level bureaucrats, schools, and aid workers.
• In 2006, the Taliban explicitly threatened to attack schools because of their curriculum.
• In 2018, 13 US service members were killed in Afghanistan in a conflict that's claimed the lives of over 2,400 Americans.
• In 2021, 165 schools had been closed in Helmand for security reasons.

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