The U.N. International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF Myanmar) has documented that 692 civilians have been killed or injured by landmines and other explosive remnants of war (ERW) nationwide in the first six months of 2024. 

This is an increase of more than 66 percent compared to the previous year, according to the UNICEF Myanmar report. It added that 32 percent of the victims have been children. Shan State has the highest number of civilian casualties with 117, accounting for 24 percent of Myanmar’s total. 

“The use of landmines is one of the human rights violations against people in our Shan State. I suggest to respective armed groups that landmines should be used judiciously,” Ying Leng Harn, a spokesperson at the Shan Human Rights Foundation (SHRF), told DVB. 

A reported 1,052 people were affected by landmines and ERW in 2023. Sagaing Region has the second highest number of civilian casualties with a total of 69 incidents causing 19 deaths and 99 injuries. A Yinmabin resident told DVB that a civilian was killed after stepping on a landmine planted by the People’s Defense Force (PDF) on a street. 

“We have to be aware of roads that are mostly used by the military forces as the resistance might attack. We have to avoid those places where landmines were possibly planted,” he said. Residents called on the PDF and other resistance groups to warn the public about where it plants landmines, so they can avoid mined areas. 

Arakan State had the third highest number of casualties from landmines and ERW, with 15 deaths and 67 injuries. A total of 325 casualties occurred in Ayeyarwady, Bago, Magway, Mandalay, Naypyidaw, Tanintharyi and Yangon regions as well as Kachin, Chin, Karenni, Karen and Mon states.

“Even if the revolution succeeds, these landmines won’t just disappear on their own. They’ll still be there, posing a threat to the people. I’ll keep searching for and clearing these mines,” Phoe Zaw, a volunteer landmine hunter in Karenni State, told DVB.