UNICEF reports 35,000 children killed or maimed by explosive weapons in five years

More than 35,000 children were killed or maimed by explosive weapons between 2021 and 2025, according to a UNICEF analysis. The report, titled Explosive Weapons in Populated Areas: Explosive Weapons and Child Casualties in Conflict – Five Key Facts, shows that the proportion of child victims caused by these weapons rose from 54% in 2021 to over 72% in 2025.

The study, which used data from annual United Nations reports on children and armed conflict, found that approximately 97% of all civilian casualties from explosive weapons occurred in populated areas. The highest numbers of child casualties were recorded in conflicts in Palestine, Myanmar, Syria, Sudan, Ukraine, and Somalia.

UNICEF also highlighted the impact of drone attacks, which killed or maimed more than 1,000 children during this five-year period. In 2025 alone, drone use resulted in 415 child casualties across 13 different conflict situations. Andrea Iacomini, spokesperson for UNICEF Italy, stated that governments and the press must address forgotten crises and emphasized the importance of following international law.