Read the full report

People killed or injured globally
Total number of casualties: 43,018
Total number of people killed: 24,855
Total number of people injured: 18,163

Civilians
Number of civilians killed: 16,297
Number of civilians injured: 15,651
74% of those killed or injured were civilians

Armed Actors
Number of armed actors killed: 8,558
Number of armed actors injured: 2,512

Populated areas
Total number of people killed in populated areas: 16,783
Total number of people injured in populated areas: 15,704
Number of civilians killed in populated areas: 14,991
Number of civilians injured in populated areas: 14,860
92% of all people killed or injured in populated areas were civilians

Children
Number of children killed or injured (where stated): 2,603

Gender
20% of civilians killed or injured were women (where stated)

Weapon Types
Of total civilian casualties, 45% were killed or injured by airstrikes
Of total civilian casualties, 12% were killed or injured by ground strikes
Of total civilian casualties, 37% were killed or injured by IEDs

Countries
The top five countries impacted in regard to total number of people killed and injured by explosive weapons (from more to less affected):
Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Somalia
The top five countries impacted in regard to the number of civilians killed and injured by explosive weapons (from more to less affected):
Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Yemen

Read our annual reports: 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011

AOAV is a founding member of the International Network on Explosive Weapons (INEW). We believe, as our data clearly routinely shows, that the use of explosive weapons in populated areas causes severe harm to individuals and communities. We believe that this suffering can and should be reduced so that unnecessary deaths and injuries can be prevented. We call on States to cease the use of explosive weapons in towns and cities.

The figures in the summary above were updated in December 2020 and represent higher figures than in our Explosive Violence Monitor 2017 annual report. This is due to the persistent collection of data by AOAV, some of which would have been released, and subsequently recorded, following the completion of our 2017 report. The figures in the infographics below reflect the data from our 2017 annual report, not this summary.