In May 2022, Action on Armed Violence recorded 2,165 deaths and injuries from 418 incidents of explosive violence around the world, as reported in English-language media. Civilians accounted for 76% (1, 641) of the deaths and injuries recorded.
When explosive weapons were used in populated areas, 96% (1,531) of the casualties were civilians, compared to 19% (110) in other areas.
Manufactured explosive weapons accounted for 85% (1,390) of civilian casualties, while improvised explosive weapons (IEDs) accounted for 15% (251) of these civilian casualties in May 2022. Of the main launch method types of manufactured explosive weapons, ground-launched explosive weapons for 53% (865) of civilian casualties, air-launched weapons were responsible for 19% (317) of civilian casualties, and landmines were responsible for 4% (62) of civilian casualties.
At least one death or injury from the use of explosive weapons was recorded in 27 countries and territories in May 2022. The five most affected countries and territories in terms of civilian casualties from the use of explosive weapons were Ukraine, Syria, Myanmar, Afghanistan, and Yemen.
UKRAINE
In May 2022, there were 180 incidents of explosive weapon use recorded in Ukraine, which resulted in 1049 civilian casualties, of whom 411 were killed and 638 injured. There were at least 33 children and 33 women among the civilian casualties. Civilians accounted for 95% of the total 1,102 casualties, as there were also 53 recorded armed-actor casualties, 11 of whom were killed and 42 injured.
The majority of civilian casualties, 98% (1023), occurred in populated areas. Specifically, 48% (503) of recorded civilian casualties occurred in locations in which the detonation of an explosive weapon affects multiple types of spaces within an urban environment, 20% (206) in urban residential areas, 12% (122) in villages, 11% (107) in villages, 9% (94) in schools, 2% (25) on commercial premises, 1% (14) in humanitarian infrastructure, 1% (13) in places of worship, >1% (9) on roads, >1% (7) in public buildings, and <1% (5) in transport-related infrastructure. The remaining 2% (25) of civilian casualties occurred in other or unknown locations.
The regions in which civilian casualties were reported in Ukraine were Donetsk (333 civilian casualties), Luhansk (222), Kharkiv (144), Mykolaiv (133), Chernihiv (123), Zaporizhzhia (32), Kherson (15), Odessa (14), Dnipropetrovsk (9), Zhytomyr (8), Sumy (7), Rivne (6), Kyiv (2), Lviv (1).
The vast majority of civilian casualties, 99% (1040), were caused by state actors’ use of explosive weapons, specifically Russian armed forces. Groups of unknown status and name were the perpetrator in the cases of >1% (5) of civilian casualties, and unknown non-state actors caused <1% (4) of civilian casualties.
The use of ground-launched explosive weapons was the cause of 60% (630) of civilian casualties, specifically shelling (567), artillery shells (35), combined explosive weapons (14), rockets (9), and missiles (5). Air-launched weapons were the cause of 27% (284) of civilian casualties, specifically air strikes (201), missiles (73), and rockets (10). Combined explosive weapons were the cause of 8% (85) of civilian casualties. Mines and IEDs were the cause of >1% (10), specifically landmines (5), car bombs (3), anti-vehicle mines (1), and non-specific IEDs (1).
The number of incidents of explosive weapon use in Ukraine in May saw an increase from April, in which 106 incidents were recorded and 973 civilian casualties (270 killed and 703 injured). In March, 116 incidents were recorded, which caused 1592 civilian casualties (1144 killed and 448 injured).
SYRIA
In May 2022, there were 82 incidents of explosive weapon use recorded in Syria, which resulted in 101 civilian casualties, of whom 30 were killed and 71 injured. There were at least 37 children and 12 women among the civilian casualties. Civilians accounted for 44% of the total 230 casualties, as there were also 129 recorded armed-actor casualties, 53 of whom were killed and 76 injured.
The majority of civilian casualties, 62% (63), occurred in populated areas. Specifically, 31% (35) occurred in villages, 21% (23) in urban residential areas, 2% (2) in commercial premises, and 2% (2) at public gatherings. <1% (1) of civilian casualties occurred on roads in populated areas.
The regions in which civilian casualties were reported in Syria were Hama (28 civilian casualties), Aleppo (28), Rif Dimashq (9), Idlib (4), Raqqa (9), Suweida (8), Daraa (7), Idlib (6), Homs (6), Hasakah (4), Quneitra (2), and Deir Ezzor (1)..
The majority of civilian casualties, 47% (47), were caused by mines and IEDs. Specifically, improvised explosive devices were the cause of 26% (26) of civilian casualties, UXOs caused 14% (14) of civilian casualties, and mines caused 7% (7) of civilian casualties. 32% (32) of civilian casualties were caused by ground-launched weapons, specifically shelling and artillery shells, 16% (16), and grenades, 15% (15). Air-launched explosive weapons, specifically air strikes, caused 14% (14) of civilian casualties.
The majority of civilian casualties, 44% (44), were caused by non-state actors. Specifically, 20% (20) were caused by unknown non-state actors, 11% (11) by ISIS, 6% (6) by unaffiliated individuals, 4% (4) by Hezb Al-Luwaa Al-Sory, 2% (2) by Hayyatt Tahrir al-Sham, and 1% (1) by the SDF. State actors caused 31% (31) of civilian casualties. Specifically, Turkish state forces were the reported perpetrator in the case of 19% (19) of civilian casualties, Israel of 8% (8) of civilian casualties, Syria of 2% (2) of civilian casualties, and Russia of 1% (1) of civilian casualties. Unknown state actors caused 1% (1) of civilian casualties in May.
The number of incidents of explosive weapon use in Syria in May saw a rise from April, in which 57 incidents were recorded and 67 civilian casualties (25 killed and 42 injured). Levels have continued to rise from March 2022, when there were 48 reported incidents of explosive violence in Syria, which caused 80 civilian casualties (30 killed and 50 injured).
MYANMAR
In May 2022, there were 41 recorded incidents of explosive weapon use in Myanmar, 23 of which caused 87 civilian casualties, 34 of whom were killed and 53 injured. Civilian casualties included at least 13 children and 15 women. Civilians accounted for 44% of the total 198 casualties of explosive weapon use, as 83 armed actors were also reportedly killed and 28 were injured.
The majority of civilian casualties, 95% (83), occurred in populated areas. Specifically, 32% (28) of recorded civilian casualties occurred in villages, 28% (24) at public gatherings, 22% (19) in places of worship, 11% (10) on public transport, and 2% (2) at entertainment venues.
The states in which civilian casualties were reported in Myanmar were Sagaing (51 civilian casualties), Yangon (10), Naypyidaw (6), Chin (4), Magwe (3), Rakhine (3), Bago (3), Mon (3), Karen (2), and Kachin (2).
The majority of civilian casualties, 75% (65), were caused by the Burma Army’s use of explosive weapons. Unknown non-state forces were the reported perpetrator in the case of 14% (12) of civilian casualties, while People’s Defense Forces caused 7% (6) of civilian casualties. Groups of unknown status and name were the reported perpetrators in the case of 5% (4) of civilian casualties.
Ground-launched weapons were the cause of 67% (58) of civilian casualties, specifically shelling and artillery shells. Mines and IEDs caused 26% (23) of civilian casualties, specifically non-specific IEDs (16 civilian casualties) and landmines (7).
The number of recorded incidents of explosive weapon use in Myanmar in May 2022 saw a sharp rise from April, in which 10 incidents were recorded that caused 12 civilian casualties (2 killed and 10 injured). In March, 10 reported incidents of explosive weapon use caused 57 civilian casualties (28 killed, 29 injured).
AFGHANISTAN
In May 2022, there were 8 incidents of explosive weapon use recorded in Afghanistan, resulting in 66 civilian casualties, of whom 20 were killed and 46 injured. There were at least three children and three women among the civilian casualties. Civilians accounted for 99% of the total 67 casualties, as there was also one recorded armed-actor casualty, who was injured.
The majority of civilian casualties, 95% (63), occurred in populated areas. Specifically, 38% (25) of recorded civilian casualties occurred on public transport, 36% (24) in places of worship, 11% (7) in markets, 7% (5) on roads, and 3% (2) at public gatherings. The remaining 5% (3) of civilian casualties occurred in other or unknown locations.
The regions in which civilian casualties were reported in Afghanistan were Balkh (28 civilian casualties), Kabul (28), Nangarhar (7), and Kunduz (3).
The vast majority of civilian casualties, 95% (63), were caused by non-state actors’ use of explosive weapons. ISIS were the reported perpetrator in the case of 41% (27) of civilian casualties. Unknown non-state forces were the reported perpetrator in the case of 54% (36) of civilian casualties. Groups of unknown status and name were the perpetrator in the cases of 5% (3) civilian casualties.
The use of IEDs was the cause of 95% (63) of civilian casualties, specifically non-specific IEDs (60), and roadside bombs (3). Ground-launched weapons were the cause of 5% (3) of civilian casualties, specifically UXOs.
The number of incidents of explosive weapon use in Afghanistan in May 2022 saw a sharp decrease from April, in which 16 incidents were recorded that caused 518 civilian casualties (191 killed and 327 injured), although levels of explosive violence remain higher than in March, in which 3 reported incidents of explosive weapon use caused 29 civilian casualties (9 killed, 20 injured).
YEMEN
In May 2022, there were 13 incidents of explosive weapon use recorded in Ukraine, which resulted in 60 civilian casualties, of whom 25 were killed and 35 injured. There were at least three children and nine women among the civilian casualties. Civilians accounted for 91% of the total 66 casualties, as there were also six recorded armed-actor casualties, two of whom were killed and four injured.
The majority of civilian casualties, 73% (44), occurred in populated areas. Specifically, 42% (25) of recorded civilian casualties occurred in markets, 17% (10) in urban residential areas, 1% (6) in commercial premises, and <1% (3) in villages. The remaining civilian casualties occurred on agricultural land, 3% (2), or in places with no location information, 23% (14).
The regions in which civilian casualties were reported in Yemen were Hudaydah (26 civilian casualties), Aden (25), Sanaa (6), Bayda (2), and Marib (1).
The vast majority of civilian casualties, 73% (44), were caused by actors of unknown name and status. State actors, specifically Saudi Arabia, reportedly caused 16% (10) of civilian casualties, and non-state actors, specifically Houthi rebels, caused 10% (6) of civilian casualties.
The use of ground-launched explosive weapons was the cause of 68% (41) of civilian casualties, specifically grenades (25), artillery shells (10), and missiles (6). Mines were the cause of 23% (14) of civilian casualties, specifically landmines.
The number of incidents of explosive weapon use in Yemen in May saw a sharp rise from April, in which two incidents were recorded and six civilian casualties (three killed and three injured). In March, nine incidents were recorded, which caused 37 civilian casualties (11 killed and 26 injured).
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 effects where there is likely to be a high concentration of civilians.
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