Counter-IED Report Summer 2026 - preview edition by Delta Business Media Limited

aimedatcurbingitsinfuenceintheregion.43 This growingmilitarycollaborationunderscoresastrategic approachtocombatjihadistgroupsinWestAfrica.

Landmines,IEDs,andUXOacrosstheSaheland northeasternNigeriapresentasevereproblem, indiscriminatelykillingandmaimingcivilians,refugees, andaidworkers.Thewidespreadcontamination heavilyrestrictssafemobility,farming,andemergency aiddelivery.Locallyproducedlandmines,IEDs,and unexplodedordnance–primarilydeployedbythe extremistgroupBokoHaram–havecreateda severecontaminationcrisisinnortheastNigeria, predominantlyaffectingBornoState.44

EthiopiaandSouthSudan

UXOandlandminespresentadaily,hiddendangerto returningresidentsinKhartoumfollowingintensefghting. LocaldemininggroupslikeJasmarareactively recoveringhundredsofshells,explosives,andminesin urbanparks.45 Contaminationfromhistoricinter-state warsandlongcivilconfictslimitssafecommunity expansionandagriculturaldevelopment.TheHALOTrust isactivelysurveyinganddestroyingmunitions–some datingbacktoWWII–inregionslikenorthernAfar.46

MIDDLEEAST

Explosiveviolenceandsubsequentdemining operationsrepresentoneofthemostcritical humanitariancrisesintheMiddleEast,drivenby decadesofstructuralwarfareandacatastrophic escalationofregionalconfictsinearly2026.Theregion remainsaprimaryepicenterforcivilianharmfrom explosiveweaponsglobally,causingunprecedented

displacementandblockingeconomicrecovery.47 The regionallandscapeisdefnedbymassivevolumesof unexplodedordnance,victim-operatedimprovised explosivedevices(VOIEDs),andactiveaerial bombardment.48 MilitarystrikesinvolvingIsrael,Iran, theUnitedStates,andregionalgroupshaveheavily impactedessentialcivilianinfrastructureacrossten countries,includingLebanon,Syria,Iraq,andIran. Over97%ofrecordedimpactsonaid,healthcare,and watersystemsaredirectlyattributedtoexplosive weapons.Roughly96%ofcasualtiesfromexplosive weaponsusedintownsandcitiesarecivilians,leading towidespreadtrauma,death,andsevereblastinjuries, particularlyamongchildren.49

GazaandtheWestBank

AccordingtotheUnitedNationsMineActionService (UNMAS),Gazafacesauniquelydensecontamination proflecomprisedofairdropweapons,artilleryshells, rockets,andmortars.ExplosiveOrdnanceDisposal (EOD)isseverelybottleneckedbyanestimated68 milliontonsofconfictdebris,underwhichunexploded munitionsareburied.Fragile,collapsedbuildings makephysicalaccesslethalforclearanceteams.50

Iraq

Long-standingcontaminationfromISIS-eravictimactivatedIEDsandbooby-trapsremainsapersistent threat.DeminingbodiesliketheMinesAdvisoryGroup (MAG)operatecontinually,butlocalgroupslikethe KurdistanMineActionAgencyhavereportedsharp declinesinactiveclearanceoutputsduetolocal economicstrain.51

43 https://www.war.gov/News/News-Stories/Article/Article/4501996/hegseth-praises-us-military-efforts-to-protect-nigerianchristians-from-isis/

44 https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2020/dec/14/landmine-casualty-rates-in-nigeria-now-ffth-highest-in-theworld

45 https://www.africanews.com/2026/04/29/unexploded-landmines-a-hidden-threat-for-residents-in-sudanese-capital/

46 https://www.halotrust.org/where-we-work/africa/ethiopia/

47 https://www.nationofchange.org/2026/06/12/israel-linked-to-majority-of-global-civilian-deaths-from-explosive-weaponsin-2025/

48 https://reliefweb.int/report/iran-islamic-republic/greater-middle-east-confict-impact-explosive-weapons-civilianinfrastructure-essential-services-and-human-consequences-28-february-15-april-2026

49 https://www.savethechildren.net/news/child-deaths-confict-surge-third-amid-rise-tech-driven-warfare

50 https://news.un.org/en/story/2025/12/1166500

51 https://www.maginternational.org/whats-happening/international-mine-awareness-day-2026/

Syria

FollowingthecollapseoftheAssadgovernment,newly accessibleterritoriesrevealedmassivecontamination. Morethan300,000landminesscarthecountry. Betweenlate2024andmid-2026,Syriawitnesseda severesurgeinciviliancasualties,exceeding1,000 separateexplosiveincidents.Civiliansreturningto theiroriginofdisplacementfrequentlystepon unexplodedordnancewhilefarming,foraging,or navigatingruinedhomes.52

Yemen

Yemensuffersfromsomeofthehighesthistorical landmineandExplosiveRemnantsofWar(ERW) casualtyratesintheworld,concentratedheavilyinTaiz andHodeidah.Activehumanitariandemining programs,suchasSaudiArabia'sProjectMasamand theDanishRefugeeCouncil,havesystematically clearedover549,000explosivedevices.However, shiftingdesertsandscontinuallyunearthormove previouslymappedminefelds,re-contaminatingsafe zones.53

LATINAMERICA

ExplosiveviolenceinLatinAmericahasescalated signifcantly,drivenprimarilybyashiftingecosystem oforganizedcrime,drugtraffckingsyndicates,and dissidentmilitantgroups.Whileregionalhomicide ratesshowaslightoveralldecline,explosivetactics–includingIEDs,carbombs,handgrenades,and explosive-ladendrones–areincreasinglyusedto terrorizepopulations,extortbusinesses,andcontrol illicittradecorridors.54 Theweaponizationofthe regionheavilyreliesonamixofblack-marketmilitary gearandmakeshifttechnology.Theuseofhand grenadeshasshiftedfromtraditionalmilitary skirmishestourbanstreet-levelcoercion,deeply

affectingneighborhoodsinmajorhubslikeBogotáand Lima.Lawenforcementagencies,including INTERPOL,haveinterceptedhiddenproductionlines attheimprovisedexplosivefactories.55 Amajorraid dismantledafactoryproducingthousandsofIEDs madeoutofmetaldrinkingfasksalongsidetonsof bulkexplosivematerials.Massiveamountsof commercialblastingexplosivesareroutinelydiverted fromorusedwithinillicitgoldminingoperations,which actasasecondaryrevenuestreamandarmssource forregionalmafas.

Colombia

Thecountryfacesasevereresurgenceofexplosive hazardsduetoclashesbetweenthemilitary,the NationalLiberationArmy(ELN),anddissidentfactions oftheformerFARCguerrillagroupwhorejectedthe 2016peacedeal.InApril2026,adevastatingFARCdissidentroadsideIEDattackinCaucaalongthePanAmericanHighwaykilled14people,whileaseparate busbombinthesouthwestkilled20peopleandinjured 36.56 Awaveofcoordinatedterrorattacksbyillegal armedgroupshitsouthwesternColombia(Caucaand ValledelCaucadepartments)between24-25April 2026,causingmultiplefatalitiesandsevere infrastructuredamage.Theattacks,blamedon dissidentgroups,targetedsecurityforcesandcivilians inseverallocations.57

Mexico

CartelsliketheJaliscoNewGenerationCartel(CJNG) haveexpandedterritorialfghting,promptingan unprecedentedshifttowardadvancedweaponry.The useofweaponizedcommercialdronesriggedwith smallexplosivepayloadshasbecomearecurring tactictotargetrivalgangs,statesecurityforces,and civiliancommunities.58

52 https://www.hrw.org/news/2025/04/08/syria-landmines-explosive-remnants-harming-civilians

53 https://www.arabnews.com/node/2637363/saudi-arabia

54 https://www.unodc.org/documents/data-and-analysis/gsh/2023/GSH_2023_LAC_web.pdf

55 https://www.interpol.int/en/News-and-Events/News/2024/More-than-28-000-kg-of-explosives-3-400-IEDs-seized-in-SouthAmerica

56 https://acleddata.com/update/latin-america-and-caribbean-overview-march-2026

57 https://www.telesurenglish.net/colombia-forces-after-deadly-attack-wave/

58 https://www.cfr.org/global-confict-tracker/confict/criminal-violence-mexico

PeruandTheSouthernCone

UrbancentersinPeruandChileareexperiencingan unprecedentedwaveofextortion.Criminalgroups frequentlydetonatesmallexplosivedevicesorthrow handgrenadesintostorefronts,transporthubs,and residencesofindividualswhorefusetopayextortion fees("protectionmoney").59

ASIA

Asiafacessevere,multi-generationalcrisesfrom explosiveviolence,leadingtheworldinnewlandmine casualtieswhilesimultaneouslyrunningsomeofthe mostadvanceddeminingoperationsglobally.The issuespansmodernactivecivilwarsandthetoxic, persistentlegacyoftwentieth-centuryconficts.60 Antipersonnelminesremainactivelydeployedalong highlytenseregionalborders.Recentusagespansthe NorthKorea–SouthKoreaborder,theChina–Myanmarborder,andIran'sborderswithAfghanistan andPakistan.

Afghanistan

DecadesofoverlappingconfictsleaveAfghanistan continuouslyheavilycontaminated.TheInternational CommitteeoftheRedCross(ICRC)reportedover 624annualcasualties,notinganexceptionallyhigh childcasualtyburden.Economicpressuresfrequently forcecivilianstoforageorfarmonunsafeterrains.61

India

India’ssecurityandterrorismlandscapeisdefnedby an"uneasycalm"followingseverebordertensions withPakistan,asignifcantdropinconventional terroristfatalities,andanaggressivepivottoward electronicandbordersecurity.AccordingtotheGlobal TerrorismIndex2026,Indiaisranked13thgloballyin

termsofterrorism'simpact,showingmarked structuralimprovementsdespiteahighlyvolatile neighbourhood.Whilelawenforcementmaintainshigh alertnessandimprovedinternationalcooperation, ongoinginsurgenciesandregionalgeopolitical tensionscontinuetoshapethecountry'ssecurity environment.62

ConcentratedprimarilyinJammuandKashmir, cross-borderattacksandinsurgenciesaredrivenby militantorganizationsallegedlyoperatingoutof Pakistan(suchasLashkar-e-TaibaandJaish-eMohammed).Urbancentresacrossthecountryhave alsobeenhistoricaltargets.Accordingtooffcial NationalInvestigationAgency(NIA)chargesheets, terrorhandlersareincreasinglysideliningtraditional groundnetworksinfavourofUnmannedAerial Vehicles(UAVs).Dronesarebeingdeployedtodrop weapons,cash,andencryptedhardwaredeepinto thehinterlands(suchastheBaramulladistrict).63 In theeast-centralandsouth-centralIndia,Maoist insurgentsengageinlow-intensityguerrillawarfare againststateauthority,operatinglargelyintherural andforestedareas64.Indiaactivelyparticipatesin internationalintelligence-sharingandcounterterrorismframeworkstomitigatetransnational threatsandmonitorillicitfnancing.

Pakistan

DuringQ12026,Pakistanexperiencedan18% quarter-on-quarterdeclineinviolencerelatedto terrorismandcounter-terrorism,with813fatalitiesand 518injuriesfrom248incidents.Thisdropwas signifcantlydrivenbyreducedviolenceinKhyber Pakhtunkhwa(KP),whichsawa57%decreasein fatalitiesbutmaskedrisingviolenceelsewhere,notably inBalochistanwitha104%increase.Islamabadand

59 https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/as-crime-surges-in-some-latin-american-countries-a-far-right-backlash-is-brewing

60 https://www.dw.com/en/european-states-leaving-ottawa-convention-banning-mines-causes-concern-in-southeast-asia/ a-75106452

61 https://imeacpo.com/2026/06/05/icrc-warns-unexploded-ordnance-is-still-devastating-afghan-communities-with-childrenmost-at-risk/

62 https://www.iiss.org/publications/strategic-comments/2025/06/indias-hardening-policies-towards-terrorism-and-pakistan/

63 https://thediplomat.com/2026/06/kashmirs-uneasy-calm-silent-guns-muted-hope/

64 https://thediplomat.com/2026/04/indias-59-year-maoist-insurgency-collapses/

Punjabalsoreportedalarmingsurgesinviolence. DespitefewerfatalitiesinKP,ithadthehighestnumber ofincidents,whileBalochistanaccountedforthe mostfatalities.Securityforcesconductedmorelethal operationsdespitelesserfrequency,andrecent militanttacticsshowedincreaseduseofexplosives anddronetechnology.Unseasonablyhighfatalities occurredinwinter,risingevenastheweather worsened,culminatinginadeclineinMarchrelated tobroadergeopoliticalshiftsandpossiblya ceasefre.Thissuggeststhedeclineinviolencemay betemporary,dependentonregionaldynamics.

Myanmar

Myanmarrecordedtheworld'shighestnumberof landmineandexplosiveremnantsofwar(ERW) casualtiesforthesecondconsecutiveyear,with exactly2,029peoplekilledorinjured.Thisfgure doubledthe1,003casualtiesreportedintheprevious yearandisastarkescalationfromthe545victimsin 2022.65 Theongoingcivilwarfeaturesindiscriminate landmineplacementaroundcivilianinfrastructures, homes,andfarmsbybothstateandnon-state actors.66

SOUTHEASTASIA

Cambodia

Cambodiaremainsoneofthemostheavilymined countriesintheworldduetothreedecadesofinternal confictandU.S.bombingcampaigns.Thecountry extendeditsnationalmine-clearancegoalfrom2025to 2030becausetheremainingunexplodedordnanceis locatedintheheavilyforested,mountainousterrain alongtheCambodia-Thailandborder.Theseremote areasaredenselycontaminated,diffculttoaccess,

andrequiresignifcantlymoretimeandspecialized resourcestoclear.Aformalroadmapwasestablished tocompletelyclearallanti-personnellandminesby 2030andeliminateclustermunitionsandother unexplodedordnanceby2035.Thenationformally approvedthisupdatedstrategyundertheNational MineActionPolicy(2026–2035)toboostsocioeconomicdevelopmentandensurecommunity safety.67 Completingthemissionrequiresanestimated $150milliontoclearroughly500squarekilometresof heavilycontaminatedland.Severalinternational partnersarefundingtheseongoingdemining initiatives.Annualcasualtieshavefallensignifcantly, droppingfromover4,000inthe1990stofewerthan 100overthepastdecade.

Laos

Laosisthemostheavilybombedcountryinhistoryper capita,requiringongoingintensiveclearance operationsbyinternationalNGOstoremove unexplodedclustermunitions(UXO)andlandmines. Clearanceeffortsareprioritizedbyagriculturaland communitydevelopmentneedstosavelivesand returnlandtofarmers.68 Whilepredominantly contaminatedbyclusterbombs,Laosalsocontains localizedanti-personnelminefeldsinareassuchas theHouaphanProvince.Inrecentyears,operators havereleasedover70sqkmoflandannually,safely removingthousandsofunexplodeditemsandallowing communitiestobuildschoolsandcultivatesafe agriculturalland.

Vietnam

ERW–includingUXO,landmines,andcluster munitions–contaminateapproximately56,000sqkm (about17.7%)ofVietnam.LeftoverfromtheVietnam

65 https://reliefweb.int/report/myanmar/myanmar-worlds-largest-number-landmine-casualties-international-campaign-banlandmines-echo-daily-fash-4-december-2025

66 https://www.crisisgroup.org/brf/asia-pacifc/myanmar-china/b188-myanmars-new-administration-military-consolidation-nottransition

67 https://www.khmertimeskh.com/501886751/govt-targets-mine-clearance-by-2030-uxo-free-areas-by-2035/

68 https://the-monitor.org/country-profle/lao-pdr/impact

69 https://www.npaid.org/media/fles/NPA-Vietnam-Recommendations-for-the-Development-of-Mine-Action-in-Vietnam-EN.pdf

War,millionsoftonsofdroppedordnancefailedto detonate,continuingtoposeseverethreatstosafety, agriculture,andinfrastructure.69 Tocombatthis, internationalNGOslikeAPOPOandMAGpartner withlocalgovernmentstoclearhazardouszones. VietnamrunsastrictNationalMineAction Programme.InprovinceslikeLaoCai,teamsare aimingtoclearremaininghigh-riskborderhectaresto facilitateeconomicrecovery.InMarch2025,theUS EmbassyandtheVietnamNationalMineAction CentreopenedspecializedUXOtrainingfacilitiesto safelyspeedupdisposal.

INTHISEDITION

Inhiswide–rangingarticleentitled“Ukraineis ChangingtheFutureofMineActionandtheWorld ShouldPayAttention”PaulHeslop,SeniorMineAction AdvisorUnitedNationsMineActionService(UNMAS) describeshowUkrainetodayaftermorethanfourbitter yearsofwarwithRussiaisverymuchattheforefront oftheMineActionworld.Thearticlebeneftsfromthe unparalleledexperienceoftheauthorinthefeldof globalmineaction.HepointsoutthatUkrainefaces oneofthelargestlandminesandotherERW contaminationchallengesseenindecades.Large tractsoflandaresuspectedtocontainlandminesand otherexplosivehazards,butnumbersalonedonot revealthefullrealityoftheproblem.Noteveryarea markedasdangerousisactuallycontaminated.There isacriticaldifferencebetweenlandthatispotentially contaminated,landthatissuspected,landthatis confrmed,andlandthatactuallyrequiresclearance. Thisdistinctionisimportantbecauseifeverysquare kilometreoflandistreatedthesame,recoveryis slower,moreexpensive,andlesseffcient.Mineaction haschangedsubstantiallyoverrecentdecades.Firstly, itmovedfromapurelymilitaryfunctiontoHumanitarian MineAction.NexttheintroductionofInternationalMine ActionStandardsimprovedthemanagementof operations.ThenconfictsinvolvingIEDsforced anotherchange.NowUkrainerepresentsthenext transformationinmineaction.Thisisbecausemodern

innovativetechnologycandramaticallyimprovemine actionoperations.ArtifcialIntelligence,drones, robotics,digitalmapping,combinedsensors,and precisionGPSarenolongerfutureconceptsbuttools nowavailabletomineaction.Ukrainehastheurgency, talent,andscaletotestthesetoolsinacombat environment.Moderntechnologyisrevolutionising traditionalslowermineactionoperations.Toooften mineactionhasbeenmeasuredbyoutputsaloneand whilsttheseareimportant,therealquestioniswhat mineactionfacilitates–farmersreturningtowork, childrenbacktoschool,factoriesbeingbuiltand cruciallyfamiliesreturninghome.Supportingmine actioninUkraineisaninvestmentininternational stabilityintermsofreconstitutingUkrainianglobalfood suppliesimpactedbythewarandlargetractsof contaminatedland.Smarterfnancingformineactionis requiredasistheneedtomeasurewhatreallymatters. TheauthorconcludesbystatingthatUkrainetodayhas theopportunitytoleadanewgenerationofmineaction whichissmarter,faster,safer,andmoreconnectedto economicrecovery.IfUkrainegetsthisright,itwillnot onlyclearlandbutwillalsohelptoclearapathforhow theworldrespondstocontaminationinfuturecrises.

Inhiscomprehensivearticleoncomplianceand competenceJimVernon,formerChairmanand foundingmemberoftheDrugsandExplosivesSearch Associationpointsoutthatcompliance,perse,does notguaranteecompetence.Tobeeffectivecompliance mustbeproactiveratherthansolelyreactive.Toomany assurancesystemsfocusonprocessandprocedures insteadofperformance.Hedescribesanearly catastrophicexampleofthisthatwasthesinkingofthe HeraldofFreeEnterprisecarferryin1987withtheloss of193passengersandcrew.TheferrylefttheBelgian portofZeebruggewithitsbowdoorsopenand momentslatercapsized.Procedures,responsibilities, crew,andsystemsallexisted.Whatdidnotexistwas ameans toconfirmthatthisvitaltaskhadbeen undertakenandthatthebowdoorswereindeed closed.Ittranspiredthatthecrewmemberwho shouldhavemonitoredtheclosureofthebowdoors

69 https://www.npaid.org/media/fles/NPA-Vietnam-Recommendations-for-the-Development-of-Mine-Action-in-Vietnam-EN.pdf

wasasleepinhiscabinatthetime.Othersassumed thatthetaskhadbeenundertaken.Thelesson remainsrelevanttoday.Manyfailuresoccurdespite thefactthatthereare proceduresin placeandthus organisationsmaywronglyassumethataprocedure hasbeenimplemented.Thepurposeofassuranceis nottoprovesuccess,buttodiscoverfailurebeforeit happens.Organisationsinpublicsafetyhavemultiple plans.Thechallengeistoensurethattheyremain current,relevant,andunderstood.Plansshouldbe regularlyexercisedandstresstested.Hestatesthat thekeytosuccessfulassuranceisdynamicQuality AssuranceandQualityControlcombinedwitha CorrectiveActionsandPreventativeActionssystem–CAPA.Heconcludesbasedonhisownextensive experiencewithlocalcouncils,thatlocalauthority scrutinyoftenfailstoidentifycumulativerisk,failsto stresstestleadershipstructuresandtomovebeyond aculturebasedonpolitepresentations.Local authorityscrutinymustbecomefarmoredynamic, andevidencedriven.■

RobHyde-Balesbiography

DuringhiscareerintheUKRoyal Engineers, RobHyde-Bales was responsibleforlandmineclearance inLibyaand,morelatterly, Afghanistanintherunningofthe frstUnitedNationshumanitarian landmineclearancetraining programme–OperationSalam.The programmetrainedAfghanmalerefugeesinlandmine clearancetechniques,andAfghanwomenandchildren inmineawarenessandavoidancetraining.More recentlyhesetuptheCaribbeanSearchCentrein Kingston,Jamaica.TheCentreisdesignedtotrain securityforcesacrosstheCaribbeaninmodernsearch techniques.Afterretiringfromthearmyhejoined CranfeldUniversityatShrivenham,nearOxford,and undertookaresearchprojectonbehalfoftheUK MinistryofDefencethatexaminedwaystoimprovethe sharingofIEDthreatinformationbetweenthemilitary andcivilianorganisationsinhazardousareas.