In November 2024, Action on Armed Violence recorded 6,948 deaths and injuries from 921 incidents of explosive violence around the world, as reported in English-language media. Civilians accounted for 88% (6,136) of the deaths and injuries recorded.
In instances where explosive weapons were used in populated areas, 95% of casualties (5,963) were civilians, as opposed to 25% (173) in non-populated areas.
Manufactured explosive weapons accounted for 87% (5,365) of civilian casualties, while improvised explosive weapons (IEDs) accounted for 3% (171) of these civilian casualties in November 2024.
Of the main launch-method types of manufactured explosive weapons, air-launched explosive weapons accounted for 73% (4,464) of civilian casualties, ground-launched weapons were responsible for 14% (851) of civilian casualties, and landmines were responsible for less than 1% (5) of civilian casualties.
At least one death or injury from the use of explosive weapons was recorded in 21 countries and territories in November 2024. The five most affected countries and territories in terms of civilian casualties from the use of explosive weapons were Gaza (1,915 civilian casualties), Lebanon (1,800), Ukraine (1,014), Sudan (467), and Syria (399).
GAZA
In November 2024, there were 277 incidents of explosive weapon use recorded in Gaza, 267 of which resulted in 1,915 civilian casualties, of whom 1,423 were killed and 492 injured. Civilian casualties included at least 123 children, 41 women, and 14 men. Overall, civilians accounted for 99% of all 1,933 casualties recorded in Gaza in November, as there were also 18 reported armed-actor casualties, of whom 14 were killed and 4 injured.
Due to the consistent and frequent attacks in populated areas using explosive weapons, incident-specific reporting of casualties in Gaza is a slow and laborious process, with many reports coming in weeks after the incident. This, added to the difficulty in disaggregating and tracking rising casualty tolls and attributing deaths and injuries to specific strikes, means that AOAV’s November data for Gaza is, as it stands, likely to be a significant undercounting.
All civilian casualties recorded occurred in populated areas. Specifically, 41% (787) occurred in urban residential areas, 32% (617) in encampments, 13% (256) in hospitals, 11% (213) in schools, 1% (14) on humanitarian infrastructure and places of worship (11), and less than 1% in hotels (4), markets (4), transport related infrastructure (4) and across multiple urban areas (3).
The regions in which civilian casualties were reported in Gaza in November are North Gaza (1,993) civilian casualties), Central Gaza (445) and South Gaza (277).
All recorded civilian casualties were caused by state actors’ use of explosive weapons, specifically Israel.
The use of air launched weapons caused 80% (1,526) of civilian casualties, specifically air strikes (1,514 civilian casualties) and air-launched missiles (12). Weapons of unclear launch method, specifically missiles, caused 11% (212) of civilian casualties. Ground launched weapons caused 9% (167) of civilian casualties, specifically artillery shelling (111), non-specific shelling (54), and tank shelling (2). Both improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and naval-launched shelling caused less than 1% of civilian casualties.
The number of civilian casualties of explosive weapon use in Gaza in November 2024 decreased compared to levels recorded in October, when 321 incidents resulted in 2,842 civilian casualties (1,578 killed, 1,264 injured). In September, AOAV recorded 208 incidents and 1,271 civilian casualties, of whom 761 were killed and 510 injured.
LEBANON
In November 2024, there were 196 recorded incidents of explosive weapon use in Lebanon, 183 of which caused 1,800 civilian casualties, 775 of whom were killed and 1,025 injured. Civilian casualties included at least 43 children, 26 women and 15 men. Overall, civilians accounted for 97% of all 1,850 casualties recorded in Lebanon in October, as there were also 50 armed-actor casualties, of whom 26 were killed and 24 injured.
96% (1,756) of civilian casualties occurred in populated areas. Specifically, 82% (1,432) occurred in urban residential areas, 11% (189) in villages, 3% (50) across multiple urban areas, 2% (36) in humanitarian infrastructure, 1% (17) in hospitals, and less than 1% in commercial premises (5), encampments (3), places of entertainment (2), and hotels (2) respectively.
The regions in which civilian casualties were reported in Lebanon in November are South (530 civilian casualties), Baalbek and Hermel (460), Beirut (308), Nabatieh (172), Mount Lebanon (147), Beqaa (142), and Akkar (41).
All recorded civilian casualties were caused by state actors’ use of explosive weapons, specifically Israel.
The use of air-launched weapons, specifically air strikes, caused 99% (1,779) of civilian casualties. Weapons of unclear launch method accounted for 1% of civilian casualties, specifically missiles (8) and rockets (4). Ground-launched weapons caused 1% (9) of civilian casualties, specifically artillery shelling (5), and non-specific shelling (4).
The number of civilian casualties of explosive weapon use in Lebanon in November 2024 increased compared to levels recorded in October, when 160 incidents caused 1,641 civilian casualties, 644 of whom were killed and 997 injured. In September, 101 incidents were recorded, which caused 5,073 civilian casualties (567 killed, 4,506 injured).
UKRAINE
In November 2024, there were 208 recorded incidents of explosive weapon use in Ukraine, 206 of which caused 1,014 civilian casualties, 152 of whom were killed and 862 injured. Civilian casualties included at least 53 children, 112 women and 123 men. Overall, civilians accounted for 94% of all 1,080 casualties recorded in Ukraine in November, as there were also 66 reported armed-actor casualties, of whom 10 were killed and 56 injured.
98% (997) of civilian casualties occurred in populated areas. Specifically, 47% (469) occurred in urban residential areas, 32% (323) across multiple urban areas, 12% (116) in villages, 4% (36) in commercial premises, 3% (29) in public transport, 1% (13) in police stations, 1% (8) in transport related infrastructure, and less than 1% in hospitals (1), public buildings (1), and schools (1) respectively.
The oblasts in which civilian casualties were reported in Ukraine in November are Kherson (221 civilian casualties), Sumy (163), Kharkiv (153), Zaporizhizhia (122), Dnipropetrovsk (112), Donetsk (94), Odessa (94), Mykolaiv (22), Kyiv (21), Chernihiv (4), Lviv (4), Zakarpattia (3), and Vinnytsia (3).
The majority of civilian casualties, 99.6% (1,010), were attributed to state actors’ use of explosive weapons, specifically Russia (989 civilian casualties), and Ukraine (21). Actors of unknown name and status caused less than 1% (3) of civilian casualties.
The use of ground-launched weapons caused 36% (361) of civilian casualties, specifically non-specific shelling (222 civilian casualties), ground-launched missiles (73), artillery shelling (34), mortars (21), rockets (7), grenades (4). Air-launched weapons caused 34% (344) of civilian casualties, specifically air strikes (289), air-dropped bombs (43) and air-launched missiles (3).
Weapons of unclear launch method accounted for 28% (279) of civilian casualties, specifically missiles (278) and weapons of combined launch method (1). The use of combined explosive weapons caused 3% (29) of civilian casualties. Mines, specifically landmines, were the cause of less than 1% (1) of civilian casualties.
The number of civilian casualties of explosive weapon use in Ukraine in November 2024 decreased compared to levels recorded in October, when 301 incidents caused 1,085 civilian casualties, 170 of whom were killed and 915 injured. In September, 387 incidents were recorded, which caused 1,468 civilian casualties (207 killed, 1,261 injured).
SUDAN
In November 2024, there were 15 recorded incidents of explosive weapon use in Sudan, which caused 467 civilian casualties, 274 of whom were killed and 548 injured. Civilian casualties included at least 5 children and 5 women. Overall, civilians accounted for all casualties recorded in Sudan in November.
95% (444) of civilian casualties reported occurred in populated areas. Specifically, 67% (299) occurred across multiple urban areas, 15% (67) in encampments, 8% (37) in markets, 7% (30) in urban residential areas, and 1% in villages (6) and in places of worship (5).
The states in which civilian casualties were reported in Sudan in November are Khartoum (325 civilian casualties), North Darfur (118), South Darfur (16) Jazira (6) and River Nile (2).
State actors, specifically Sudan, accounted for 70% (330) of civilian casualties. Non-state actors, specifically the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), caused 29% (134) of civilian casualties. Actors of unknown name and status accounted for 1% (3) of civilian casualties.
Air-launched weapons, specifically air dropped bombs, caused 81% (382) of civilian casualties and air strikes (90). Ground-launched weapons accounted for 18% (85) of civilian casualties, specifically non-specific shelling (70 civilian casualties), and artillery shelling (15).
Civilian casualties of explosive weapon use in Sudan in November 2024 decreased significantly compared to October, when 17 incidents caused 822 reported civilian casualties (274 killed, 548 injured). In September, 25 incidents of explosive weapon use were recorded, which resulted in 540 reported civilian casualties (243 killed, 297 injured).
SYRIA
In November 2024, there were 102 incidents of explosive weapon use recorded in Syria, 54 of which resulted in 399 civilian casualties, 118 of whom were killed and 281 injured. Civilian casualties included at least 42 children, 16 women, and 14 men. Overall, civilians accounted for 49% of all 808 casualties recorded in Syria in November, as 409 armed actor casualties were also recorded, including 118 killed and 281 injured.
95% (380) of civilian casualties occurred in populated areas. Specifically, 66% (205) occurred in urban residential areas, 20% (75) across multiple urban areas, 12% (45) in villages, 6% (21) in schools, 4% (16) in locations marked as other, 3% (10) in armed bases, 2% (6) in encampments, and less than 1% in commercial premises (1) and public transport (1).
The states in which civilian casualties were recorded in Syria in November are Aleppo (175 civilian casualties), Idlib (119), Damascus (56), Homs (36), Hama (5), Deir Ezzor (3),Hasakah (3), and Raqqa (2).
State actors accounted for 87% of civilian casualties, specifically Russia (102 civilian casualties), Syria (96), Israel (91), Turkey (29), Russia and Syria (27).
Non-state actors accounted for 10% (16) of civilian casualties, specifically the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) (16 civilian casualties), the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) (7), Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) (6), non-state actors of unknown name (6), and Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) (4). Actors of unknown name and status accounted for 3% (12) of civilian casualties.
The use of air-launched weapons, specifically accounted for 63% of civilian casualties, specifically air strikes (241) and air-launched missiles (9).
Ground-launched weapons caused 34% (136) of civilian casualties, specifically artillery shelling (79), ground-launched rockets (45), multiple explosive weapons (7) and non-specific shelling (5).
IEDs accounted for 3% of civilian casualties, specifically non-specific IEDs (9) and car bombs (3). Mines, specifically landmines, accounted for less than 1% (1) of civilian casualties.
Civilian casualties of explosive weapon use in Syria in November 2024 increased slightly compared to October, when 115 incidents caused 308 reported civilian casualties, 79 of whom were killed and 229 injured. In September, 82 incidents were recorded, which resulted in 189 civilian casualties (43 killed, 146 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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