The deadly legacy of conflicts from Afghanistan to Sudan continues to maim and kill civilians, with children disproportionately affected, UN mine action experts warned at a high-level meeting in Geneva on Wednesday.
According to the UN-partnered Landmine Monitor report, 77 per cent of all casualties in Afghanistan last year were children. Some 54 people die each month from explosive remnants of war, giving the country the world’s third-highest casualty rate. Nick Pond, head of mine action at the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), noted that many victims are boys tending livestock, often picking up explosives out of curiosity. With demining capacity plummeting from 15,000 workers in 2011 to just 1,300 today, the situation is increasingly dire.
Across Sudan, only five UN Mine Action Service (UNMAS) teams operate, focusing on Khartoum, where 1.5 million civilians have returned amid continuing conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces. Access to areas like El Fasher remains extremely difficult, leaving civilians exposed to ongoing shelling and landmines.
In Nigeria, returning displaced communities face hidden explosive threats in 11 of 15 return areas, while in Gaza and the West Bank, contamination from years of conflict continues to endanger daily life and block humanitarian access. Children accounted for 46 per cent of global mine casualties in 2024.
UN officials emphasized that mine action is not a long-term recovery effort but a critical life-saving intervention. Without renewed funding, programmes in Afghanistan, Nigeria, and Ethiopia face imminent suspension, putting millions at risk.
Christelle Loupforest, UNMAS Representative in Geneva, said, “The work in Afghanistan is key to reducing global casualties. Urgent donor support is essential to prevent further loss of life.”
The UN Secretary-General’s mine action campaign, launched in June 2025, calls for strengthened international disarmament efforts and the protection of civilians, particularly children, from the enduring dangers of explosive remnants of war.
