Anti-tank mine located by HALO on secondary route in Afghanistan - single anti-tank mines can close entire lengths of road and cause huge blockages to basic social functions
Afghanistan was heavily mined by Soviet forces during their ten year occupation.
Further mine-laying was carried out by the communist regime of Najibullah, during localized internecine fighting between Mujahideen groups and most recently between the Taliban and the Northern Alliance.
All defending forces laid landmines to protect their Main Supply Routes (particularly the road north from Kabul to the old Soviet border), their airfields, military posts around key towns, and the actual front lines. The geography of the conflict meant that different factions have frequently mined the same areas at different times.