Myanmar - November 2024

Myanmar is now home to the highest number of lethal accidents related to landmines and other so-called explosive remnants of war (ERW) in the world, according to a new report by Landmine Monitor. In 2023, 1,003 people are confirmed to have been killed, accounting for more than one sixth of worldwide landmine and ERW casualties and almost tripling the number of the previous year. These figures are on pace to rise further in 2024, with almost 700 casualties recorded in the first half of the year. This is the result of decades of civil war and, in particular, an increase of landmine use by the military junta since the 2021 coup. Beyond the immediate danger of landmines and ERWs to any individual, they can also impede access to food, water, and critical infrastructure and can be a hinderance to refugees of war safely returning to their homes.  

Sources: Landmine Monitor, Human Rights Watch, Myanmar Now