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The Landmine Monitor 2023 report shows a high number of victims caused by mines: 4,710 victims in 2022, 85% of which are civilians. The annual Mine Ban Treaty conference will take place in Geneva from November 20 to 24. Handicap International, which received the Nobel Peace Prize along with other organizations for its fight against mines, calls on States to use their diplomatic influence to stop using these indiscriminate weapons.
“Since 2015 we have witnessed a significant number of mine casualties each year. This high figure is mainly due to the increase in armed conflicts and contamination from improvised mines. In 2022, it is these improvised mines that have caused the highest number of victims: 1,517, or 32%, and this for the seventh consecutive year. These improvised explosive devices are placed manually, are generally homemade, activated by the victim themselves, and are designed to kill or maim. Industrial mines caused 628 deaths,” explains Daniel Suda-Lang, director of Handicap International Switzerland.
Syria, Ukraine, Yemen and Myanmar have the highest number of victimsThe Landmine Monitor 2023 report measures the impact of the Ottawa Treaty, which prohibits the use, production, transfer and stockpiling of antipersonnel mines by 2022.
In 2022, at least 4,710 people were killed or injured by mines. This drop from the 5,544 deaths recorded in 2021 is mainly due to significant difficulties in data collection in Afghanistan. 1,661 people lost their lives and 3,015 were injured, while the status of 34 people is unknown. 85% of the victims were civilians and almost half were children (1,071, or 49%).
With 834 victims reported in 2022, Syria records the highest number of people killed or injured for the third consecutive year, followed among others by Ukraine (at least 608 victims), Yemen (582) and Myanmar (545).
New uses of mines
According to the Observatory, use by the Myanmar military has increased significantly since 2021, particularly near critical infrastructure such as cell towers, extraction companies or oil and gas pipelines.
Russian forces have used mines extensively since their invasion of Ukraine that began on February 24, 2022. The Observatory also reports the use of these weapons by Ukrainian government forces in and around the city of Izium in 2022, while the city was under Russian control. Ukraine is subject to the Ottawa Treaty.
The extent of the contamination
In total, 60 countries and territories have land contaminated by mines. As of October 2023, at least 24 States Parties have demonstrated or suspected contamination: Afghanistan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central Africa, Colombia, Guinea-Bissau, Iraq, Mali, Mexico, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Philippines. Democratic Republic of the Congo, Somalia, Chad, Thailand, Togo, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, Venezuela and Yemen.
