June 17, 2026 | Burma Independent Voice
At least 58 countries and territories worldwide continue to face the deadly threat of anti-personnel landmines, with civilian casualties reaching alarmingly high levels particularly in Myanmar, Syria, Afghanistan, and Ukraine, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights stated on Wednesday.
“Nearly 30 years after the adoption of the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention, it is deeply concerning that these explosive weapons continue to kill and maim people,” UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk said in a statement. “This devastation persists for decades after the mines are initially laid.”
He further urged, “It is vital for all nations to renew their commitment to end the production, use, and transfer of these weapons, and to double their cooperation and efforts in clearing mines already in the ground.”
The report, compiled under Türk’s directive, synthesized data collected from governments, NGOs, humanitarian organizations, and civil society groups. According to data from the ‘Landmine and Cluster Munition Monitor,’ at least 945 people were killed and 4,325 others were injured by landmines and explosive remnants of war (ERW) in 2024 alone.
“Among casualties where the status as a soldier or civilian could be verified, civilians accounted for approximately 90 percent of all recorded casualties in 2024,” the report highlighted.
Myanmar recorded the highest number of landmine casualties globally in 2024, with a staggering 2,029 victims. Syria ranked second with 1,015 casualties, and Afghanistan third with 624. These were followed by Ukraine, Nigeria, Mali, Yemen, and Burkina Faso, each recording over 200 casualties.
In a separate release, the ‘International Campaign to Ban Landmines’ (ICBL) reported that more than 5,000 people were killed or injured by mines, cluster munitions, and other explosive remnants of war in 2025, with the vast majority again being civilians. According to records from the UN Human Rights Office, children have accounted for over 40 percent of all civilian casualties caused by anti-personnel mines since 1999.
Beyond killing and maiming individuals, landmines effectively transform affected regions into “no-go zones.” This severely impacts human rights, prolongs displacement, and blocks access to land for agricultural production.
Türk pointed out that while the Ottawa Mine Ban Convention now boasts 162 state parties, several nations with massive stockpiles of landmines have yet to join. Recently, Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland withdrew from the treaty, while Ukraine temporarily suspended the implementation of certain provisions within the convention.
“States that have not yet ratified this treaty should do so immediately, and those that have withdrawn should rejoin as soon as possible,” High Commissioner Volker Türk urged. He nonetheless commended the actions of Lebanon, which chose to accede to the Ottawa Convention despite its ongoing conflict with Hezbollah.
According to Türk’s report, contributions to the UN Voluntary Trust Fund for Assistance in Mine Action—which supports demining operations—dropped drastically from $125 million to $46 million over a seven-year period leading up to 2025.
