42 Nations and Territories Still Host Landmines, UN Human Rights Chief Reports

Published on 16/06/2026 – 21:29 GMT+2

Un​ion Nations’ human rights chief Volker Türk announced on Tuesday that at least 58 states and territories remain contaminated by anti‑personnel mines, with the situation causing severe civilian casualties in Myanmar, Syria, Afghanistan and Ukraine.

“It is deeply troubling that nearly three decades after the Anti‑Personnel Mine Ban Treaty was adopted, these explosive weapons continue to kill and injure people, often decades after they were planted,” Türk said in a statement. “It is essential that all states recommit to ending the production, use and transfer of these weapons and intensify their efforts to clear existing mines.”

Türk released a report compiling data from governments, NGOs, humanitarian organisations and civil society groups. According to the Landmine and Cluster Munition Monitor, a total of 945 people were killed and 4,325 injured by landmines and explosive remnants of war in 2024 alone.

“Where the status of victims as military or civilian is known, civilians accounted for roughly 90 percent of all recorded casualties in 2024,” the report noted. Myanmar led the list with 2,029 deaths, followed by Syria with 1,015, Afghanistan with 624, and Ukraine, Nigeria, Mali, Yemen and Burkina Faso each reporting more than 200 casualties.

The International Campaign to Ban Landmines added that in 2025, mines and explosive remnants of war, including cluster munitions, killed or injured over 5,000 people—again predominantly civilians. Türk’s office highlighted that children constitute more than 40 percent of all civilian mine‑related casualties since 1999.

Beyond the immediate loss of life, anti‑personnel mines transform entire areas into no‑go zones, hampering human rights, prolonging displacement and preventing land from being used for agriculture.

While the Ottawa Convention has 162 parties, Türk stressed that several large stockpile owners have not yet ratified the treaty. Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland recently withdrew, and Ukraine is suspending its implementation. He urged all non‑party states to ratify promptly and for those that have withdrawn to re‑join. Türk also praised Lebanon’s recent accession to the Ottawa Convention amid ongoing conflict with Israel and Hezbollah.

The report further revealed a sharp decline in contributions to the UN Voluntary Trust Fund for Assistance in Mine Action, falling from $125 million (€107 million) to $46 million (€39 million) over the seven years leading up to 2025.

Sources: AFP

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