Why landmines are back in force despite international bans

In August 2020, a landmine explosion claimed the lives of 12-year-old Raheela Bibi's hands and injured her sister and brother in Pakistan. Despite the difficulties, Raheela remained determined to continue her education. In 2025, more than 5,000 people, primarily civilians, were killed or injured by landmines or unexploded ordnance, according to a preliminary analysis by the NGO Landmine and Cluster Munition Monitor. South Sudan witnessed the highest victim count, with 90% of the casualties being children.

Landmines were initially designed to injure rather than kill soldiers, as an injured soldier is more of a burden on an enemy country's resources than a dead one. However, in peacetime, landmines continue to pose a threat to civilians, especially children, who are often killed due to the indiscriminate nature of these mines.

Decades after the Yugoslav wars, people still suffer casualties from landmines in former Yugoslavia, particularly in Bosnia-Herzegovina. By the late 1990s, there were approximately 25,000 landmine casualties per year, which prompted the international community to ban anti-personnel mines. The Ottawa Treaty, signed by over 120 countries in 1997, became legally binding two years later, with 166 countries ratifying it. Notably, China, India, Russia, and the US did not sign the treaty.

Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, five European NATO countries, Russia, Ukraine, Poland, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia have withdrawn from the treaty. Russia's full-scale invasion has raised concerns about the treaty's legitimacy, as Russia has never ratified it and uses landmines in Ukrainian territory. Ukraine, in response to Russia's actions, justified its withdrawal from the treaty by citing Russia's non-compliance.

Despite the legal uncertainty surrounding withdrawals during wartime, Ukraine reportedly uses landmines, albeit on a smaller scale than Russia. As of mid-2025, approximately 25% of Ukraine was affected by landmines and explosive ordnance. Poland, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia, which have experienced Russian aggression and occupation, have also decided to withdraw from the Ottawa Treaty.