KABUL, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- The Afghan army found and defused 90 rounds of landmines and Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) within the past 24 hours, Afghan Defense Ministry said on Thursday.
"The Afghan National Army (ANA) engineering teams found and neutralized 90 rounds of landmines, roadside bombs and IEDs across Afghanistan within the past 24 hours," the ministry said in a statement.
Taliban militants and Islamic State (IS) fighters have been using the home-made IEDs to target security forces but the lethal weapons also inflict casualties on civilians.
Finding and neutralizing the simple but difficult to be detected weapons remained a challenge for Afghan security forces.
More than 1,660 civilians were killed and over 3,580 others injured in conflict-related incidents in the first half of the year, according to figures released by the United Nations mission in the country.
The IED and landmine explosions were the second largest cause of civilians' casualties following ground engagements between government forces and insurgents.
