Cambodia: CMAA asks Laos to join Ottawa Treaty

The Cambodian Mine Action and Victim Assistance Authority (CMAA) requested Laos at a meeting on Monday to join the other 164 countries attending the Ottawa Convention while Cambodia is chair and hosts the 5th Review Meeting of the organisation. Ly Read More …

From the Middle East to West Africa: responding to the humanitarian impacts of improvised anti-personnel mines

Though remarkable progress has been made towards the eradication of anti-personnel landmines (APM) since the adoption of the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention (APMBC) in 1997, casualties from APM are, alarmingly, on the rise, including due to the increased use of Read More …

Cambodia: UN-ESCAP help sought to expand Ottawa signatories

Ly Thuch, the First Vice- President of the Cambodian Mine Action and Victim Assistance Authority (CMAA), has requested UN-ESCAP to assist in encouraging Asia-Pacific nations that have not yet ratified the Ottawa Treaty to do so while Cambodia is hosting Read More …

Landmines: New Use Despite Global Ban

Russia, Myanmar, and Ukraine have used antipersonnel landmines in the past year, and armed groups used them in at least five countries, Human Rights Watch said today in releasing Landmine Monitor 2023, the annual report about the international treaty to Read More …

Cambodia wants more Ottawa Convention signatories

Cambodia wants more countries to sign the Ottawa Convention so that the world can get rid of landmines and other UXOs faster to end the suffering of people residing in contaminated areas. The 1997 Convention on the Prohibition of the Read More …

Over 120 people wounded by Lepestok in Donetsk People’s Republic

  More than 120 people, including 10 children, received various injuries after stepping on Lepestok anti-personnel landmines in the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR), acting DPR head Denis Pushilin told TASS on Saturday. The latest incident involving a Lepestok anti-personnel landmine Read More …

Estonia should consider using anti-personnel mines – Kunnas

Estonia should consider introducing anti-personnel mines in its national defense program, said Leo Kunnas (EKRE), deputy chairman of the Riigikogu’s National Defense Committee, on Monday. Anti-personnel mines are banned in all European countries. “While during the previous Riigikogu session, we Read More …

Addressing mine ban treaty challenges: New contamination and compliance

The annual Intersessional Meetings of the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpile, Production, and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on Their Destruction (aka Ottawa Convention, AP Mine Ban Convention, or Mine Ban Treaty) closed on 21 June in Read More …

Landmine Use in Ukraine

This background briefing surveys the types of landmines used in Ukraine since the full-scale Russian invasion began on February 24, 2022. Antipersonnel mines explode by the presence, proximity, or contact of a person, and can kill and injure people long Read More …

Ukraine: Banned Landmines Harm Civilians

Ukraine should investigate its military’s apparent use of thousands of rocket-fired antipersonnel landmines in and around the eastern city of Izium when Russian forces occupied the area, Human Rights Watch said today. Human Rights Watch documented numerous cases in which Read More …

Human Rights Watch urges investigation of alleged use of land mines by Ukraine

A human rights group says it has documented “numerous cases” of Ukrainian forces firing land mines into territory that was controlled at the time by Russia. In a new report, Human Rights Watch suggests that Ukraine scattered so-called petal mines Read More …

Ukraine accused of using controversial ‘butterfly’ mines against Russia

The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) recently accused the Ukrainian Armed Forces of planting PFM-1s, also known as butterfly mines, throughout residential areas of Russian-controlled Donbas. The Russian MFA also claimed that “the use of butterfly mines goes against Read More …

Russia submits to UN detailed info on Ukraine’s use of Lepestok mines

Russia on Monday submitted to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and to the UN Security Council president the details on the use by Ukraine of Lepestok anti-personnel mines against civilian targets in Donbass, said Russian First Deputy Permanent Representative to the Read More …

Ukraine: Russian troops use Uran-6 robot to clear PFM-1 “Lepestok” anti-personnel mines scattered in Donetsk city

Russian troops use Uran-6 unmanned ground vehicle to clear PFM-1 “Lepestok”/”Petal” anti-personnel landmines scattered around Donetsk city and surrounding areas. According to local reports several rockets with PFM-1 landmines were fired at Donetsk city which resulted in wide area contamination Read More …

Most land mine use by US military banned, except for Korea

President Joe Biden’s administration announced Tuesday that it would restrict the use of anti-personnel land mines by the U.S. military, aligning the country’s policy more closely with an international treaty banning the deadly explosives. “The president believes strongly that we Read More …

Ukraine: Russia Uses Banned Antipersonnel Landmines

Russian forces fighting in Ukraine have used banned antipersonnel mines in the eastern Kharkiv region, Human Rights Watch said today. The antipersonnel mines were located by Ukrainian explosive ordnance disposal technicians on March 28, 2022. Russia is known to possess Read More …

Global Context of Landmines and Demining Efforts in Colombia

In 2005 the U.N. instituted the first International Landmine Awareness Day, calling for joint action by states to encourage demining activities in countries where landmines pose a serious threat to the safety, health and life of civilian populations. Even though Read More …

‘Complete the work’, rid the world of deadly landmines, UN chief urges

The United Nations Secretary-General has called on the international community to recommit to the target of a mine-free world, urging efforts to “make this the last decade when we need to devote ourselves to this task”. In a message commemorating Read More …