Support and Protect Families in Afghanistan

In Afghanistan, Dahane-Bibian was once a peaceful and picturesque village, filled with green spaces and a calm, quiet atmosphere. However, in 2017, everything changed when violence broke out between opposing local forces, transforming the village into a battleground. As the fighting intensified over the years, villagers were forced to flee their homes, seeking safety from the conflict.

Opposing forces launched multiple attacks on Dahane-Bibian in an effort to push out their rivals. Eventually, they succeeded, driving the former military forces from the area. To secure their control, they planted Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) all throughout the community, including inside people’s homes.

When the fighting finally ended in 2021, the people of Dahane-Bibian returned to their village, only to discover that their homes and land were heavily contaminated with IEDs. Abdul, a local resident, shared with HALO the heartbreaking toll: "Seven people have been killed and three wounded since returning home." He himself had to seek refuge with a neighbor, unable to return to his own home due to the dangers of the IEDs.

In 2024, HALO stepped in to help. Thanks to generous supporters, HALO deminers began the essential task of clearing the land and making it safe again. Using both manual and mechanical clearance, teams are working tirelessly. So far, they have made 13.8 acres of land safe and have cleared 22 IEDs, directly helping 740 people in the community.

As the land is cleared, the people of Dahane-Bibian have shared their renewed sense of hope and safety. With their village on the path to recovery, they look forward to rebuilding their homes and once again planting crops on the land that was once their livelihood. The future of Dahane-Bibian is now brighter, and its people are ready to move forward, with hope in their hearts.

Just northwest of the ancient Silk Road city of Herat, on the road to Iran and the saffron fields of Ghorian, lies the neat town of Jebrail. It has tree-lined streets, play parks for children and thriving schools and businesses to serve the population of 80,000 people.

10 years ago, Jebrail was once dangerous and desolate, a sparsely populated wasteland because it was mined repeatedly by Soviet and Mujaheddin forces during the fighting of the 1980s.

"Previously, this area was a desert," says Mohammed, head of the Jebrail council. "People lived in fear, children were unable to walk and play games in this area. The mines left us feeling in danger."

From 2011 to 2014, HALO Afghanistan deminers worked tirelessly to clear the minefields and battlefields of Jebrail, removing dangerous landmines and making the town safe again. A decade later, Jebrail has been completely transformed. Parks, schools, and health clinics now fill the spaces once scarred by conflict, showing the powerful, life-changing impact of landmine clearance. The only trace of its hazardous past are the faded ticks painted on older walls—quiet reminders of the areas HALO deminers made safe, allowing the community to thrive.

"After clearance, people were feeling safe, construction work started. Investment started. Most of the people came here for a better life. Schools, parks and clinics were established providing opportunities for people to live good lives here." - Mohammed, Head of Jebrail Council

Ten years after HALO cleared the minefields near Herat city, the new district, home to 80,000 people, is a refuge for Afghanistan's most persecuted community 

Councilor Mohammed adds: "Many of the people living here have returned from Iran, Pakistan, and other countries. During the conflict, my family migrated to Pakistan and Iran for a period, eventually coming here from Ghazni province. Others have come from other provinces of Afghanistan. War and natural disasters have also driven some of them here. Most people have selected this area because of better life opportunities."

Most of the residents of Jabrial are Hazara. Some Tajiks are also living here along with Pashtuns, but they are rare. Most of the people are Hazara."

The Hazara people are one of the many ethnic groups in Afghanistan, and have suffered discrimination and persecution, including being targeted by terrorist groups in recent years. Thanks to HALO’s incredible donor community and the hard work of our deminers, this once dangerous area is now a safe place for them to call home.