Syria01 December, 20252 min read
Countries Withdraw From Mine Ban Treaty, Fueling Four-Year High in Landmine Deaths
This article is an automated aggregation of coverage from news outlets. Our editorials offer in-depth analysis curated by the NewsCord team.
Over 6,000 casualties in 2024, including 1,945 deaths and 4,325 injuries. Intensifying conflicts in Syria and Myanmar drove the 2024 landmine casualty surge.
7 outlets told this the same way.
Outlets did split on Asad Al-Shaibani Meets Saddam Haftar in Benghazi Over Syrian Consulate And Missing Syrians →
2024 Landmine Casualties
Global casualties from landmines and unexploded ordnance surged to a four-year high in 2024. The Landmine Monitor 2025 documented more than 6,000 people harmed - 1,945 killed and 4,325 injured - and noted that nearly 90% of victims were civilians and almost half were women and children.
“Global landmine and unexploded-ordnance casualties rose to a four-year high in 2024, with more than 6,000 people harmed—1,945 killed and 4,325 injured—according to the Landmine Monitor 2025.”
Reports attribute the rise to intensified use in Syria and Myanmar, with Myanmar recording over 2,000 incidents, the most of any country, and to fresh signs of mine use in other theatres. The reports underline the human toll on returning residents in Syria and on civilian populations across affected states.
Mine Ban Treaty erosion
The Landmine Monitor links a recent spike in casualties to an erosion of the Mine Ban Treaty framework. Several European states have begun legal steps or are moving to withdraw — Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland — and Ukraine formally withdrew on June 29. Reports warn those actions could concretely threaten or erode the global ban, placing the 1999 Ottawa Convention under strain as its membership of 166 states faces backsliding.
Locations of explosive hazards
Geographic drivers of the surge vary in coverage. Myanmar is consistently singled out, reporting over 2,000 incidents, while Syria is cited for rising unexploded ordnance risk to returning civilians. Some reports document alleged new mine use in Ukraine and along the Thailand-Cambodia border, expanding the problem beyond classic conflict zones.
“The surge was driven mainly by incidents in Syria and Myanmar (Myanmar had over 2,000 incidents), with extensive use by state and non‑state forces. The report says returning residents in Syria face growing risks from unexploded ordnance.”
Impact of donor funding cuts
Donor cuts have had immediate operational consequences, with reporting showing U.S. funding declines among the causes of program shutdowns and reduced survivor assistance. ThePrint lists program endings in Afghanistan, Iraq, Yemen, Colombia, Tajikistan, and Zimbabwe, and notes the U.S. once supplied about a third of international funding, with further declines likely. Sri Lanka Guardian and Punch Newspapers report that cuts, including from the United States, have forced termination of mine clearance and survivor assistance programs, leaving urgent needs unmet.
Mine Ban Treaty in Geneva
States party are meeting in Geneva as the report's warnings circulate. Media coverage frames the talks as a potential flashpoint for whether the Mine Ban Treaty can withstand withdrawals, new mine use, and shrinking budgets.
“States party to the treaty are meeting in Geneva to address the escalating humanitarian and political crisis.”
Outlets vary in tone: ThePrint quotes the report's stark language about the treaty's concrete threats, Punch and Sri Lanka Guardian warn of erosion and unmet humanitarian needs, and Nation Thailand links withdrawals to broader security concerns about Russia, but all cite the Geneva talks as the venue for addressing the crisis. The convergence on a diplomatic response contrasts with divergence in emphasis on causes and solutions.
