World: UN warns civilian protection in war failing, citing AOAV’s data on how explosive violence continues to devastate cities

Countries: World, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Lebanon, Myanmar, Nigeria, occupied Palestinian territory, Sudan, Ukraine, Yemen Source: Action on Armed Violence The United Nations has issued a dark warning about the state of civilian protection in modern conflict, declaring that the gap between international commitments and the reality faced by civilians “widened further” during 2025. In a major report released by Secretary-General António Guterres ahead of the annual Security Council debate on the protection of civilians, the UN paints a picture of warfare that is increasingly characterised by urban destruction, displacement, hunger and attacks on critical infrastructure. Although the UN recorded more than 37,000 civilian deaths across 20 armed conflicts in 2025, a slight decline after three years of increases, the report stresses that the overall level of suffering remains severe. “Approximately one recorded civilian death every 14 minutes” occurred during the year, the report notes. It also noted that the true toll is likely much higher because many casualties cannot be verified or documented. How many dead lie under the ruins of Gaza or Mariupol is unknown, for instance. Most importantly, perhaps, the report clearly identifies the use of explosive weapons in towns and cities as one of the principal drivers of civilian harm. “The use of missiles, bombs and other explosive weapons in cities and populated areas remained a leading cause of civilian harm,” the Secretary-General writes, highlighting the growing use of drones carrying explosive payloads in urban environments. In documenting this trend, the UN used data gathered by Action on Armed Violence (AOAV). The report specifically cites AOAV’s Explosive Weapons Monitor 2025 in its assessment of civilian fatalities caused by explosive weapons across conflic...

Original source: Relief Web