If you see or hear a bomb, do not go to the
area to have a look, as there will usually be multiple bombs in the area to
target Afghan's who just can't resist having a look and first responders
Leave as fast as your legs will carry you.
Roadside bombs & Road Mines:
These are a growing threat in Afghanistan
along major roads, but as of the time of writing, in the roads most used by
tourists, particularly the main highways from Kabul to Mazaar i Sharif, from
Pul i Kumri to the Tajik border and Islam i Qala to Herat they are not so much an
issue due to traffic numbers.
BE WARNED: Anywhere off these roads is
"Indian Country" and the risks will multiply greatly as the traffic
flow decreases, both in terms of IED's, mines and roadblocks.
For tourists the most noteworthy areas for
IED's and mines are probably the areas surrounding the Hazarajat (Bamiyan
province), as well as the Hazarajat itself. CF forces have begun reporting
considerable increases in the finds of IED's and TC6 Anti-Tank mines along the
roads, including in very close proximity to Bamiyan and the road to Band e Emir
and the number of attacks on New Zealand personnel have gone from effectively
zero to considerable, in what was (and probably still is) the
"safest" province in Afghanistan.
(to be continued)
