LAGOS, Nigeria(VOICE OF NAIJA)- The United Nations has warned that anti-personnel mines remain a major humanitarian threat across dozens of countries, with civilians accounting for the overwhelming majority of victims despite global efforts to eliminate the deadly weapons.
In a statement released on Tuesday, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk reported that at least 58 states and territories remain contaminated by the explosive devices nearly three decades after a global treaty sought to ban them.
He said the ongoing human toll of landmines highlights the urgent need for stronger international action.
“It is deeply troubling that almost 30 years since the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Treaty was adopted, these explosive weapons continue to kill and injure people — often decades after they were placed,” Turk said.
The UN High Commissioner called on governments around the world to strengthen efforts to eliminate the weapons completely.
“It is essential that all states recommit to putting an end to the production, use and transfer of these weapons and redouble their efforts to cooperate in clearing mines already placed,” he added.
The warning accompanied a new report compiled by the UN using data from governments, humanitarian organizations, civil society groups and non-governmental organizations.
According to the report, landmines and explosive remnants of war killed at least 945 people and injured 4,325 others in 2024 alone.
Data from the Landmine and Cluster Munition Monitor showed that civilians accounted for roughly 90 percent of all recorded casualties where the victims status was known.
Myanmar recorded the highest number of casualties in 2024 with 2,029 victims, followed by Syria with 1,015 and Afghanistan with 624.
Ukraine, Nigeria, Mali, Yemen and Burkina Faso each reported more than 200 casualties during the same period.
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Meanwhile, the International Campaign to Ban Landmines disclosed in a separate statement that mines, cluster munitions and other explosive remnants of war killed or injured more than 5,000 people in 2025, with civilians again making up most of the victims.
The humanitarian impact on children remains particularly severe. The UN noted that children have represented more than 40 percent of all civilian casualties caused by anti-personnel mines since 1999.
Beyond the loss of life and physical injuries, the report highlighted the broader social consequences of mine contamination.
Large areas of land become unsafe for farming, communities are displaced for extended periods, and access to basic rights and services is often restricted.
Although the Ottawa Convention banning anti-personnel mines has been adopted by 162 countries, Turk pointed out that several nations with significant stockpiles have yet to join the treaty.
He also noted that Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland have recently withdrawn from the agreement, while Ukraine has suspended its implementation.
“States that have not yet ratified the treaty should promptly do so and those that have withdrawn should quickly rejoin,” Turk stated.
At the same time, he welcomed Lebanon’s decision to join the convention despite ongoing tensions linked to the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah.
The report also revealed growing concerns over funding shortages for global mine-clearing operations.
Contributions to the UN Voluntary Trust Fund for Assistance in Mine Action have fallen sharply over the past seven years, dropping from $125 million to $46 million by 2025.
Ultimately, the latest findings highlights the long-lasting humanitarian consequences of landmines, with aid agencies warning that millions of people continue to face danger long after conflicts have ended.
