Nearly half of all civilians killed or harmed by landmines last year were children, despite being banned by most countries, a report by the International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL) said Tuesday.
The Landmind Monitor 2023 report said 4,710 victims were injured or killed by landmines and explosive remnants of war (ERW) across 49 states and two other areas last year, while antipersonnel mines accounted for the highest number of casualties.
In 2022, 85% of recorded casualties were civilians, totaling 4,341 when military or civilian statuses was known, it said.
It added that children accounted for half of the casualties at 1,171, where the age was recorded.
Syria and Ukraine is where the highest number of annual casualties was recorded with 834 and 608, respectively.
“Amidst the conflict in Ukraine, the country saw a ten-fold increase in the number of civilian landmine and ERW casualties compared to 2021,” the report said, adding that Russia used antipersonnel landmines extensively in Ukraine since its war began in February 2022.
Meanwhile, Yemen and Myanmar each recorded more than 500 casualties.
Sixty countries and other areas are contaminated by antipersonnel mines, including 33 state parties of the Mine Ban Treaty, according to the report.
The treaty took effect March 1, 1999 and was signed by 164 countries, including all NATO members with the exception of the US.
“The Mine Ban Treaty must be the cornerstone of all efforts to rid the world of antipersonnel mines given its total ban on their use, transfer, stockpiling, and production, under any circumstances,” ICBL Director Tamar Gabelnick,, said in the report.
“The only way communities will be truly safe from the scourge of these weapons is when all states have joined and are fully respecting the treaty,” said Gabelnick.
Source : aa
