World: UN warns civilian protection in war failing, citing AOAVโs 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 โwidened furtherโ during 2025. In a major report released by Secretary-General Antรณnio 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. โApproximately one recorded civilian death every 14 minutesโ 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. โThe use of missiles, bombs and other explosive weapons in cities and populated areas remained a leading cause of civilian harm,โ 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 AOAVโs Explosive Weapons Monitor 2025 in its assessment of civilian fatalities caused by explosive weapons across conflict zones. AOAVโs monitoring has for over a decade tracked the human impact of explosive violence worldwide. Our data consistently shows that when explosive weapons are used in populated areas, around 90% of those killed and injured are civilians. The UN report points to particularly high levels of civilian casualties linked to explosive weapons in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Lebanon, Myanmar, Nigeria, Sudan, Ukraine, Yemen and the Occupied Palestinian Territory. It also documents the widespread destruction of hospitals, schools, places of worship, water systems, electricity grids and telecommunications infrastructure. Three conflicts stand out for the scale of devastation they inflicted during 2025: Sudan, Ukraine and the Occupied Palestinian Territory. In Sudan, the UN recorded more than 11,000 civilian deaths, while attacks on power stations, water facilities and dams left large parts of the country without essential services. In Ukraine, civilian deaths rose significantly compared with previous years, with more than 2,500 civilians killed and 12,000 injured. Meanwhile, in Gaza, the report states that at least 20,000 Palestinians were killed or their remains recovered during 2025 alone. The report also highlights the growing role of emerging technologies in warfare. Drone attacks have increased dramatically in recent years, while artificial intelligence is increasingly being used to support military decision-making and target identification. According to the UN, drone attacks in conflict settings increased by at least 4,000% between 2020 and 2024. The Secretary-General warns that such technologies risk expanding the reach of violence and increasing civilian exposure to harm if safeguards are not established. Humanitarian agencies are also facing unprecedented dangers. More than 325 aid workers were reported killed in conflict settings during 2025, marking the third consecutive year of record fatalities. Journalists, too, faced escalating risks, with 60 of the 96 journalist killings recorded globally occurring in conflict zones. โLegal protections and norms are being disregarded, distorted or abandoned altogether,โ the Secretary-General warns in the report. He argues that military advantage is increasingly being prioritised over the protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure. Among the reportโs recommendations are stronger restrictions on the use of explosive weapons in populated areas, greater accountability for violations of international humanitarian law, and wider implementation of the Political Declaration on Explosive Weapons in Populated Areas. The Secretary-General also calls on states to improve civilian harm tracking and assessment, arguing that understanding both direct and indirect impacts of warfare is essential to reducing future suffering. Dr Iain Overton, Executive Director of Action on Armed Violence (AOAV), said: โThe Secretary-Generalโs report darkly confirms what AOAVโs data has been showing now for years: when explosive weapons are used in populated areas, civilians bear the burden. Behind every data point casts the long shadow of a shattered family or a future stalked by violence. The evidence is clear. Stop bombing cities. The challenge now is whether governments have the political will not to do so.โ