800,000 disabled people live in Afghanistan

KABUL, Dec. 3 (Xinhua) -- Some 800,000 disabled people, many of whom lost their limbs during the protracted war and civil strife, have been living in the war-ravaged Afghanistan, a local newspaper reported Thursday.

The Ministry for Work, Social Affairs and Man Power says there are around 800,000 disabled people in Afghanistan, according to daily Rah-e-Nejat's report.

The report coincided with International Day of Disabled Persons on Dec. 3. Afghanistan, like other countries, observes the day by organizing seminars and meetings to raise awareness of the right of disabled persons and provide job opportunities to this segment.

Afghans have enormously suffered from the over-three-decade wars and civil strife.

In many cases mine explosions have disabled people in the militancy-plagued Afghanistan.

Since early this year, according to reports over 1,500 civilians have been killed during military operations either by militants or air raids carried out against them and hundreds of others sustained injuries.

Rah-e-Nejat also added that Orthopedic center of International Committee of Red Cross in Afghan capital Kabul provides some 14,000 artificial limbs to disabled Afghans.