Somalia

Casualties

Last updated: 26 June 2018

 

Casualties[1]

All known casualties (between 1999 and 2017)

3,225 mine/unexploded remnants of war (ERW) casualties: 1,267 killed; 1,606 injured; 352 unknown

Casualties in 2017

Annual total

55

55% increase from 25 in 2016

Survival outcome

17 killed; 38 injured

Device type causing casualties

27 ERW; 28 undifferentiated mines/ERW

Civilian status

55 civilian

Age and gender

12 adults:
4 women; 8 men

43 children:
39 boys; 4 girls


Casualties in 2017—details

Casualties were reported in the following regions of the Somali Republic (excluding Somaliland): Banadir, Bay, Galguduud, Gedo, Hiran, Lower Juba, Lower Shabelle, Middle Shabelle, and Mudug.

The 55 casualties reported for 2017 represents a marked increase from the 25 casualties reported for 2016.[2] However, it is similar to the 56 casualties reported for 2015.

The Monitor identified 3,225 mine/ERW casualties in Somalia (excluding Somaliland) between 1999 and the end of 2016. Of these, 1,267 people were killed, 1,606 were injured, and for the remaining 352 casualties it was unknown if they survived their injuries.[3] In 2018, the UN Mine Action Service (UNMAS) reported that the total number of casualties for all time was 1,529. Detailed information was available for 1,238, of which 344 were killed and 894 were injured.[4]

UNMAS reported that new, used, or emplaced improvised mines (victim-activated improvised explosive devices, IEDs) certainly resulted in casualties in 2017, however, these are not included in the 55 mine/ERW casualties reported for 2017.[5] UNMAS reported 96 casualties as a result of victim-activated IEDs, 61 injured and 35 killed. UNMAS does not disaggregate data based on gender and age for IED casualties.[6]

Cluster munition casualties

The number of cluster munition casualties in Somalia is not known. In a 2014 statement to the Convention on Cluster Munitions, Somalia recognized that there are cluster munition victims in Somalia living in severe conditions with mostly unmet needs.[7]



[1] Unless otherwise indicated, casualty data for 2017 is based on an email from Mustafa Bawar, Senior Information Management Officer, UN Mine Action Service (UNMAS), 13 February 2018.

[2] Previously, 22 casualties were reported for 2016 (see 2017 Somalia casualty profile). UNMAS has revised the total for 2016 to 25, based on additional information. Email from Mustafa Bawar, UNMAS, 20 March 2018.

[3] Monitor analysis of casualty data since 1999.

[4] Email from Mustafa Bawar, UNMAS, 13 February 2018.

[5] Ibid.

[6] Ibid., 20 March 2018.

[7] Statement of Somalia, Convention on Cluster Munitions Fifth Meeting of States Parties, 3 September 2014.