In January 2022, Action on Armed Violence recorded 2,083 deaths and injuries from 168 incidents of explosive violence around the world, as reported in English-language media. Civilians accounted for 54% (1,195) of the deaths and injuries recorded.
When explosive weapons were used in populated areas, 95% (1,140) of the casualties were civilians, compared to 5% (55) in other areas.
Manufactured explosive weapons accounted for 85% (1,013), while improvised explosive weapons (IEDs) accounted for 14% (163) of these civilian casualties in January 2022. Of the main launch method types of manufactured explosive weapons, air-launched weapons were responsible for 68% (809) of civilian casualties, ground-launched explosive weapons for 17% (204) of civilian casualties, multiple types of explosive weapons were responsible for 1% (13) of civilian casualties, and landmines for >1% (5).
At least one death or injury from the use of explosive weapons was recorded in 30 countries and territories in January 2022. The five most affected countries and territories in terms of civilian casualties from the use of explosive weapons were Yemen, Ethiopia, Syria, Pakistan and Myanmar.
YEMEN
In January 2022 there were 29 incidents of explosive weapon use recorded in Yemen. Across 23 of these incidents, there were 416 recorded civilian casualties (including 14 children, four women, and nine men), 148 of whom were killed and 268 injured. Civilians accounted for 36% of the total 1,155 recorded casualties of explosive weapon use in Yemen in January, as there were also 739 recorded armed-actor casualties, all of whom were killed.
When explosive weapons were used in populated areas in Yemen, 99% (410) of those killed and injured were civilians, compared to 0.8% when casualties were recorded in non-populated areas. All but 1% of the recorded civilian casualties occurred in populated areas.
The majority of all civilian casualties, 71% (294), occurred during a Saudi airstrike on a detention center for migrants in Saada, and in another Saudi airstrike on a telecommunications facility in Hudaydah. An additional 15% (62) of civilian casualties occurred in urban residential areas, 4% (17) in villages, 3% (11) on roads, 2% (10) in markets, 2% (10) in a location in which the detonation of an explosive weapon affects multiple types of spaces within an urban environment, >1% (4) occurred in attacks on hospitals, >1% (4) occurred on agricultural land, and >1% (4) of civilian casualties reported did not specify the location.
The use of air-launched explosive weapons caused 84% (348) of civilian casualties, specifically airstrikes. Ground-launched weapons were the cause of 16% (67) of civilian casualties, specifically ground-launched missiles (47 civilian casualties), shelling (10), artillery shells (9), and multiple forms of explosive weapons (1). A landmine was the cause of one civilian casualty.
Civilian casualties were recorded in seven governorates in Yemen, namely Saada (340 civilian casualties), Marib (45), Sanaa (35), Shabwa (15), Taiz (9), Hudaydah (5), and Bayda (3).
State actors were the recorded perpetrator of 88% (368) of civilian casualties, primarily Saudi Arabia (342) and the Saudi-led coalition (24). Non-state actors were the recorded perpetrators of 11% (47) of civilian casualties, and the perpetrator status in the case of one civilian casualty was recorded as unknown.
The number of civilian casualties from explosive weapon use in Yemen in January 2022 is two and a half times higher than the civilian casualty figures recorded in December 2021. This is owed to the particularly high-casualty Saudi airstrike on the detention center in Saada. The number of armed-actor casualties has also increased substantially from December 2021, by 35%, and marks the highest recorded since October 2021, when an intensification of conflict between Yemeni state forces, including the Saudi-led coalition, and Houthis saw armed-actor casualties increase notably.
ETHIOPIA
In January 2022, there were five incidents of explosive weapon use recorded in Ethiopia which caused 294 civilian casualties (reportedly including at least two children and three men), 81 of whom were killed and 213 injured. There were no armed-actor casualties from explosive weapons recorded in Ethiopia in January 2022.
Of the civilian casualties recorded in January 2022, 99% (292) occurred in populated areas and >1%% (2) in areas with an unknown population status. The majority of civilian casualties, 78% (230), occurred in encampments, while 13% (38) took place in urban residential areas, 8% (24) in schools and >1% (2) in unknown locations.
Air-launched weapons, specifically airstrikes, were the reported weapon type in all 294 civilian deaths and injuries.
All recorded civilian casualties from explosive weapons in Ethiopia in January took place in the Tigray region. More specifically within this region, 62% (182) were recorded in Dedebit, 29% (86) in Mai Tsebri, 8% in an unreported area of the Tigray region, and >1% (2) in Hiwane.
State actors were the reported perpetrator in all 294 civilian deaths and injuries, with the Ethiopian state military specifically identified as the perpetrator of 22% (64) of civilian casualties.
SYRIA
In January 2022, there were 34 incidents of explosive weapon use recorded in Syria. Across 20 of these incidents, 152 civilian casualties were recorded (reportedly including 25 children, 42 women, and 20 men), 60 of whom were killed and 92 injured. Civilians accounted for 63% of the total 242 casualties of explosive weapons, as there were also 90 armed-actor casualties of explosive weapons, 33 of whom were killed and 57 injured.
When explosive weapon use was recorded in populated areas in Syria, 97% (146) of those killed and injured were civilians. Of the civilian casualties, 96% (146) occurred in populated areas, while 4% (6) were recorded in non-populated areas.
Specifically, 40% (61) of civilian casualties took place in urban residential areas, 26% (40) in a location in which the detonation of an explosive weapon affects multiple types of spaces within an urban environment, 20% (31) in villages, 4% (6) in unreported locations, 3% (5) on agricultural land, 3% (4) on commercial premises, 2% (3) in markets, and >1% in attacks on humanitarian infrastructure and public buildings, respectively.
Civilian casualties were recorded in six governorates across Syria, namely Aleppo (67), Deir Ezzor (36), Idlib (21), Raqqa (13), Daraa (14), and Hasakah (1).
The use of ground-launched weapons caused 53% (81) of the total civilian casualties. Specifically, these weapons included rockets (53), shelling (25) and missiles (3). Air-launched explosive weapons, specifically airstrikes, were the recorded cause of 36% (55) of civilian casualties. IEDs and mines caused 11% (18) of civilian casualties. These weapons include non-specific IEDs (15 civilian casualties), car bombs (1), and landmines (2).
State actors were reportedly responsible for 88% (133) of civilian casualties, primarily Syrian state forces (50), Turkish armed forces (28), Russia (19), and unknown state actors (36). Non-state actors were reportedly responsible for 11% of civilian casualties, with the Islamic State the perpetrator in the case of one civilian casualty, Kurdish forces for three, and unknown non-state actors in the case of 13 civilian casualties. The perpetrator status in the case of two civilian casualties was recorded as unknown.
The number of civilian casualties in Syria in January 2022 has increased by 35%, a more substantial increase than recorded from November to December 2021 when civilian casualties rose by 10%, and after a significant decrease of 49% in the month of November 2021. Armed-actor casualties more than doubled in January from 38 in December 2021 to 90 last month.
PAKISTAN
In January 2022, there were five recorded incidents of explosive weapon use in Pakistan. Across three of these incidents, there were 50 civilian casualties recorded, three of whom were killed and 47 injured. Civilians accounted for 77% of the total 65 recorded casualties, as there were also 15 armed-actor casualties recorded, four of whom were killed and 11 injured.
All civilian casualties from explosive weapon use occurred in populated areas. The locations in which civilian casualties occurred were a market (29), roads (15), and public transport (6).
IEDs were the cause of 70% (35) of civilian casualties, while ground-launched weapons, specifically grenades, were the cause of 30% (15) of civilian casualties.
Non-state actors were the reported perpetrator of 70% (35) of civilian casualties. Of these non-state actors, the group was unknown in the case of 29 civilian casualties, and the Baloch Liberation Army was the reported perpetrator group in the case of six civilian casualties. The perpetrator status and group was unknown in the case of the remaining 30% (15) of civilian casualties.
Explosive weapon use and the resulting civilian casualties took place in two provinces in Pakistan in January 2022. These were Punjab and Balochistan, where 29 and 21 civilian casualties were reported, respectively.
Civilian casualties of explosive weapon use increased by 11% from December 2021 to January 2022, a notably smaller increase than was recorded from November to December 2021, when civilian casualties increased by 50%. January 2022 was the first month in which there were no recorded civilian casualties from explosive weapon use in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The violence remains concentrated in Balochistan and primarily involves the use of non-specific improvised explosive decices, roadside bombs, grenades and landmines by non-state actors or unknown perpetrators.
MYANMAR
In January 2022, there were 17 recorded incidents of explosive weapon use in Myanmar. Across 12 of these incidents, there were 39 civilian casualties recorded, 15 of whom were killed and 24 injured. Civilian casualties included at least 15 children, five women and three men. Civilians accounted for 53% of the total 74 casualties of explosive weapon use, as 21 armed actors were also reportedly killed and 14 injured.
All of the civilian casualties occurred in populated areas. The majority of casualties occurred in villages (32), while others occurred in an encampment (3), an urban residential area (3), and a road (1).
The use of multiple types of explosive weapons, specifically the combined use of airstrikes and artillery shelling, was the leading cause of civilian harm, resulting in 14 civilian casualties. Ground-launched weapons, specifically artillery shelling, was the cause of 10 civilian casualties, while air-launched weapons, specifically airstrikes and air-dropped bombs caused nine civilian casualties, and IEDs caused six.
Myanmar state military forces were the reported perpetrator in the case of 33 of the 39 civilian casualties. Unknown non-state actors were the reported perpetrator in the case of three civilian casualties, and the perpetrator status and group name in the case of three civilian casualties was unknown.
There was a 34% increase in the number of civilian casualties recorded in Myanmar from December 2021 to January 2022. However, there was a 57% decline in the total number of casualties from explosive weapon use in this time period, as fewer armed-actors were killed and injured last month.
AOAV condemns the use of violence against civilians and the use of explosive weapons in populated areas. All actors should stop using explosive weapons with wide-area affects where there is likely to be a high concentration of civilians.
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