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In 2020, the largest number of casualties resulting from cluster munition attacks was recorded during the Nagorno-Karabakh war, according to the new report released on September 15 by Cluster Munition Monitor 2021.

“The denials of cluster munition attacks in Azerbaijan and Nagorno-Karabakh and their widespread condemnation shows how the prohibition on these weapons is gaining strength.” said Mary Wareham, Ban Policy editor of Cluster Munition Monitor 2021 and Human Rights Watch (HRW) Arms Advocacy director. “All states should condemn any use of cluster munitions by any actor under any circumstances,” she added.

It is noted that neither Armenia nor Azerbaijan have joined the Convention on Cluster Munitions, which has 110 States Parties and 13 signatories. The Cluster Munition Coalition (CMC) urges nonsignatories to take steps to renounce the weapon and join the convention without delay.

Globally, the Monitor recorded at least 360 new cluster munition casualties in 2020 caused either from cluster munition attacks (142) or due to remnants of these weapons (218). This represents a continued increase from the updated annual totals in 2019 (317 casualties) and 2018 (277 casualties). The real number of new casualties is likely to be much higher as many have gone unrecorded due to challenges with data collection.