The ICRC noted that this figure includes victims of different types of explosive devices: anti-personnel mines, controlled detonation explosive devices and thrown explosive devices. I added that nine people have been killed.

The ICRC pointed out that during this stage there were 44 victims of anti-personnel mines and 174 victims of controlled detonations and dropped explosive devices.

Of these, 150 were civilians (including 31 minors), 63 members of security forces and five members of armed groups.

Accidents occurred in 15 departments of the country, and the most affected were Cauca, Arauca, Cesar, Antioquia, Valle del Cauca and Choco, areas where 77 percent of the victims were concentrated.

The coordinator of the ICRC’s Weapons Contamination Unit in Colombia, Ana Maria Hernandez, said that in 2021 they recorded the highest number of victims of explosive devices in the last five years.

“We are concerned that, if this trend continues, in 2022 the humanitarian consequences of this problem might be even more serious and the suffering of civilians will be much greater,” she stressed.

She pointed out that the number of direct victims proves the deep suffering caused by this phenomenon; however, it is not the only indicator of the disruption, she noted.

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