In Ukraine, ten times as many people have been killed or injured by landmines and explosive remnants of war as a result of the Russian war of aggression in 2022 than in the previous year. There were more than 600 documented cases there in 2022, as the International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL) reported in Geneva on Tuesday.
Worldwide, the number of reported victims fell from 5,544 to 4,710. Of these, 1,700 died and the rest were injured.
Hardly any more data from Afghanistan
The number fell, especially in Afghanistan. But that is mainly because hardly any data is collected there anymore, it was said.
Landmines are laid to stop the advance of enemy forces. They explode when touched. However, the small parts often remain in the ground as live ammunition for decades. 85 percent of the victims are children playing and other citizens who later accidentally step on them on roads or in fields. Since 1999, the Ottawa Treaty, signed by 164 countries, has banned landmines.
Landmines in eleven regions of Ukraine
Russia has laid landmines in eleven of Ukraine’s 27 regions since invading its neighboring country in February 2022, the ICBL landmines report said. But Ukraine has also used the weapon at least once: in Izjum in the Kharkov region, when the area was under Russian control.
There were at least eleven victims there. Unlike Russia, Ukraine is a signatory state and the only one of the 164 countries that has violated the provisions. Russia has not joined the treaty, nor have the US and China.
Sad leader Syria
In Syria alone, more people were killed or injured by landmines last year than in Ukraine: a total of 834, the report said. 60 countries are still contaminated with landmines. The Campaign (ICBL), a network of more than 1,000 non-governmental organizations in about 100 countries, calls for more demining. The ICBL was the driving force behind the Ottawa Treaty. For this she received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1997.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
