As the world marks International Day of Mine Awareness, charities have issued a renewed call for more more global action.
Mines, explosive remnants of war, and improvised explosive devices continue to cause death and injury, especially in situations of armed conflict, according to the United Nations.
On average, one person is killed or injured by such an explosive device every hour and the UN says children are often the victims.
It’s estimated that as many as 10 million landmines could be spread across some 64 countries around that world and that between two and five million new landmines are laid each year.
While Africa is the continent most severely affected by landmines, Europe also is hugely affected with landmines still a presenting a problem from conflicts in countries like Azerbaijan and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Ukraine is also particularly badly affected with around a third of its territory estimated to be mined.
As faltering peace talks between Kyiv and Moscow stumble along, removing the estimated two million landmines, as well as the hundreds of thousands of unexploded rockets, missiles, mortars and grenades, will be crucial to guaranteeing future security in Ukraine.
