Algeria
Casualties
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Casualties[1] |
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All known casualties(between 1962 and 2017) |
7,110 mine/unexploded remnants of war (ERW) casualties: 3,323 killed and 3,787 injured * |
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Casualties in 2017 |
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Annual total
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20 |
186% increase from 7 in 2016 |
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Survival outcome |
8 killed; 12 injured
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Device type causing casualties |
2 antipersonnel mine; 8 ERW; 1 improvised mine; 9 unspecified mine |
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Civilian status |
18 civilian; 2 military |
4 un known |
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Age and gender |
3 adults At least 1 man |
13 children At least 4 boys |
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Casualties in 2017 – details
In 2017, the Monitor identified 20 new casualties. This represents a significant increase from seven casualties reported for 2016. Eight children were killed by the explosion of an explosive remnant of war (ERW) in a single incident. Nine of the casualties were caused by unspecified mines.[2]
Casualty trends – overall trends, demographics. and device types
In 2016, the Monitor identified seven casualties from victim-activated IEDs (improvised mines) in the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria, including four civilians and three military personnel.[3] Although it is a significant decrease from 2015, when 36 casualties from improvised mines were identified, it is likely that other incidents went unreported. The lack of a central data collection mechanism and annual casualty rate fluctuations in recent years make it difficult to identify trends.[4] Due to this lack of official data collection, the total number of casualties was likely higher. Casualty data was gathered from media reports.
*Total casualties –details
The total number of mine casualties in Algeria is unknown. As of March 2011, there were 2,325 mine survivors, as well as 439 widows and 739 descendants of victims killed in mine incidents registered with the Ministry of the Mujahidin.[5] In October 2009, it was reported in the media that there had been at least 6,762 mine casualties since 1962 (3,236 killed; 3,526 injured).[6] No information was available on casualties caused by ERW. The total of 7,110 casualties reported by the Monitor represents this October 2009 figure plus the 348 mine/ERW casualties (87 killed and 261 injured) identified in 2009–2017.
[1] Unless otherwise indicated, casualty data for 2017 is based on Monitor media monitoring from 1 January to 31 December 2017.
[2] It remained difficult to determine the explosive type for all incidents in Algeria given the lack of detail in most media reports and the use of the term “mine” for nearly all incidents involving victim-activated explosives. It is likely that some incidents involving what the media refers to as homemade or “traditional” mines may in fact refer to victim-activated IEDs. Monitor media monitoring from 1 January to 31 December 2017.
[3] Monitor media monitoring from 1 January to 31 December 2016; and Monitor analysis of data recorded by Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project (ACLED), “ACLED Version 7 (1996 – 2016),” citing Clionadh Raleigh, Andrew Linke, Håvard Hegre, and Joakim Karlsen, “Introducing ACLED-Armed Conflict Location and Event Data,” Journal of Peace Research, Vol. 47, Issue 5, first published 28 September 2010, pp. 651–660.
[4] The Monitor identified 88 casualties in 2014; 78 casualties in 2013; 51 in 2012; 35 in 2011; 33 in 2010; 34 in 2009; 19 in 2008; 78 in 2007; 58 in 2006; and 51 in 2005. See previous Monitor country profiles on Algeria.
[5] Mine Ban Treaty Article 5 deadline Extension Request, 31 March 2011, p. 19.
[6] This figure does not include casualties among Saharawi refugees displaced from Western Sahara to camps in southwestern Algeria (see the profile for Western Sahara). “L’Algérie ambitionne de les éliminer d’ici 2012: Les mines antipersonnel ont fait 3236 Victimes” (“Algeria aims to eliminate them by 2012: Antipersonnel landmines have killed 3236 persons”), Le Soir d’Algérie, 31 October 2009.