Landmine casualties surge to four-year high amid funding cuts

Casualties from landmines and unexploded ordnance surged to their highest level in four years during 2024, driven by ongoing conflicts and a decline in global funding for clearance efforts. According to the Landmine Monitor 2025 report released Monday, 6,279 people were killed or injured last year, marking the highest annual total since 2020. The International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL), which publishes the report, attributed the rise primarily to intense fighting in non-treaty states like Myanmar and Syria, where civilians face severe risks in contaminated areas.

Civilians and Children Bear the Brunt

The data paints a grim picture for non-combatants, with civilians accounting for 90% of all recorded casualties. Nearly half of these victims were children. For the second consecutive year, Myanmar recorded the world's highest number of landmine casualties. "Behind each statistic is a family and a community still living with the consequences of landmines," stated Ruth Bottomley, the report's funding editor, who expressed alarm over a significant drop in financial support for victim assistance programs.

Progress Stalls as Funding Declines

While the report noted some progress—including Oman completing clearance in 2025 and two new nations joining the Mine Ban Treaty—the overall trend is reversing. The total area cleared of mines decreased in 2024 due to reduced international donor contributions and increased insecurity in conflict zones. Funding for victim assistance, which already represented a meager 5% of mine action resources, fell by nearly a quarter. A freeze on U.S. foreign assistance in early 2025 further exacerbated the global funding crisis, jeopardizing decades of painstaking demining work.

Erosion of the International Norm

The report also highlighted a dangerous erosion of the international norm against landmine use. It documented continued or likely new use of anti-personnel mines by actors including Russia, Myanmar, and Ukraine. Additionally, withdrawals or attempted withdrawals from the 1999 Mine Ban Treaty pose a fundamental challenge to the disarmament regime. ICBL Director Tamar Gabelnick warned that "turning back is not an option," emphasizing the urgent need to defend the treaty's principles. Nations like Türkiye, which is both a treaty member and located near conflict-affected regions, have a direct stake in reinforcing these global humanitarian norms and supporting clearance operations.