As of mid-1998 military operations, sometimes involving intense fighting, frequently take place, especially around Kabul and in Takhar, Kunduz, and Baghlan provinces in the northeast and Faryab and Badghis provinces in the northwest, areas that have been recently or repeatedly contested or mark the dividing lines between competing armed groups. The City of Kabul occasionally experiences rocket attacks. Dostam's forces bombed Kabul in January 1997, and Masood's forces continue to bombard Kabul, though probably with less effect. Military encounters, including aerial bombing, rocketing, and artillery shelling occur sporadically and unpredictably, particularly in the northern half of the country. Westerners remain vulnerable to politically and criminally motivated attacks and violence, including robbery, kidnapping and hostage-taking.
Land mines are still prevalent throughout the countryside.
Close to ten million land mines and unexploded ammunition pose a danger to all visitors to Afghanistan.