For the first time, Syria recorded the highest number of annual casualties from improvised landmines, followed by Afghanistan, according to the 2021 report released Wednesday by Landmine Monitor.
“Non-signatory Syria recorded the highest number of annual casualties (2,729) for the first time since the Monitor began its reporting in 1999,” it said Wednesday.
Also, it has not documented or confirmed, during the reporting period, any use of antipersonnel mines by Syrian government forces or Russian troops participating in joint military operations in Syria.
However, non-state armed groups (NSAGs) in Syria likely continued to use improvised landmines, as in previous years, but limited access by independent sources to territory under NSAG control made it difficult to confirm new use.
Landmine Monitor said that from mid-2020 through October 2021, it has confirmed new use of antipersonnel mines by the government forces of one country -Myanmar, which is not party to the Mine Ban Treaty.
The Mine Ban Treaty entered into force on March 1, 1999.
States wishing to join can no longer sign and ratify the treaty but must instead accede, a process that essentially combines signature and ratification. Of the 164 States Parties, 132 signed and ratified the treaty, while 32 acceded.
The Monitor also revealed that non-state armed groups used antipersonnel mines in at least six countries during the reporting period: Afghanistan, Colombia, India, Myanmar, Nigeria, and Pakistan.
It said that 2020 was the sixth year in a row with high numbers of recorded casualties due to mines, including improvised types, as well as cluster munitions remnants and other explosive remnants of war (ERW). The continuing high casualty total recorded is mostly the result of increased conflict and contamination observed since 2015.
“In 2020, at least 7,073 casualties of mines/ERW were recorded: 2,492 people were killed and 4,561 people were injured, while the survival status was unknown for 20 casualties,” it said, adding that last year’s total represents an increase from the 5,853 casualties recorded in 2019, and is more than double the lowest annual recorded total (3,456 in 2013).
