Syria has fallen to the second rank in terms of mine victims in 2023, while Myanmar topped the list.

Syria recorded the highest number of landmine victims globally for three consecutive years: 2020, 2021, and 2022.

In 2023, Syria recorded the second highest number of deaths and injuries caused by landmines and explosive remnants of war, with a total of 933 victims, followed by Ukraine and Afghanistan, each recording 500 victims, according to the report by the International Campaign to Ban Landmines released on November 20.

The number of mine victims in Myanmar was 1,003 in 2023, and the actual figure may be much higher due to a lack of official monitoring throughout the country.

The number of victims in Syria, according to the report, was 2,729 in 2020, 1,227 in 2021, and 834 in 2022.

The report serves as the basis for the ongoing work of the 164 countries that signed the Ottawa Convention to ban the use of anti-personnel mines (APMBC) and the Convention on Cluster Munitions (CCM).

In their report released on April 2 of this year, in conjunction with the International Day for Mine Awareness, which is observed annually on April 4, the Syria Civil Defence (White Helmets) stated that its teams conducted 1,450 technical surveys in northwestern Syria in 2023.

The teams identified 531 contaminated areas and cleared 1,054 munitions, including 325 cluster munitions, 206 projectiles, 181 bombs, 171 missiles, 140 mortar shells, 48 fuses, four dropped bombs, as well as three guided missiles, three landmines, and a recoilless projectile.

During October, the munitions survey teams of the Civil Defence carried out 119 non-technical surveys in 109 villages, confirming the presence of 71 areas contaminated with unexploded ordnance, 45 of which were in agricultural lands.

Civilians as the primary victims

Human Rights Watch (HRW) noted in its “Landmine Monitor 2024” report released on November 20 that civilians accounted for 84% of landmine victims worldwide in 2023, totaling 4,335 victims, with children making up 37% of the victims, amounting to 1,498.

HRW pointed out that the international treaty prohibiting anti-personnel landmines is at risk of being undermined due to their new use by non-signatory countries such as Russia and Myanmar.

Mark Hiznay, Deputy Director of the Arms Division at Human Rights Watch and editor of the Landmine Monitor 2024 report, stated that the positive impact of the Mine Ban Treaty is evident in the reduction of anti-personnel mine production, the theoretical end of the transfer of these weapons, and the destruction of over 55 million stored landmines.

However, “the new use of anti-personnel mines by countries that have yet to sign poses a threat to civilian lives and the effectiveness of this life-saving treaty,” according to Hiznay.

According to the HRW report, there were 5,757 landmine victims in 2023, including 1,983 deaths, in 53 countries, with civilians comprising 84% of all recorded casualties.

A total of 281.5 kilometers of contaminated land were cleared in 2023, the largest area ever cleared by signatory states since 2019, and 160,566 anti-personnel mines were destroyed.