The Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) officials said over 100 children sustained facial injuries due to plastic toy gun shots during the past 3 days in capital Kabul.

The officials further added that the children sustained injuries mainly in their eyes due to impact of plastic balls used as bullets in the air guns.

An official in the Ministry of Public Health Dr. Syed Kabir Amiri said at least 116 cases of eye injuries were recorded during the past 3 days of Eid al-Fitr.

Amiri said the children were mainly taken to Noor Eye Hospital for treatment.

According to Noor, at least 42 children were taken to the hospital during the first day of Eid, 32 on the second and 42 others on the third day of Eid.

He said majority of them were discharged from the hospital after receiving treatment while some others were kept in the hospital that needed more care.

However, the number of children who have sustained injuries due to air gun shots could be more than reported by the Ministry of Public Health as the number does not include those who have been taken to private hospitals.

The local residents in Kabul are criticizing the security institutions for remaining reckless to prevent the import and sale of air guns in the city.

It is a culture in Afghanistan to fire arms on the eve of an exciting moment or celebration. The not-very-popular culture is gradually left backward as people become more educated but it still merely in the cities and at large exists in the rural areas.

The culture has been turning over to Afghan children in the shape of toy guns.
The culture has been turning over to Afghan children in the shape of toy guns.

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