![]() These were used by the Russians in the Crimean War (1853-6) and in the Franco-Prussian War (1870). Pressure on the surface or tripping a wire caused a fire that would ignite the powder. Three centuries later, a German engineer invented the Fladdermine (flying mine) that consisted of gunpowder under the surface. But the first explosive mines were successfully used by the Ming Dynasty in China in the 14th-century, utilising gunpowder and trip wires. Roman soldiers would lay spiked tetrahedrons with the aim of piercing the feet of attacking troops. Landmines can arguably be dated back to at least the 4th-century. These devices are meant to preclude any civilian casualties, but critics argue that they breed complacency and re-legitimise the use of all landmines. Other militaries that ceased many years ago, such as the US, are beginning to insert ‘smart’ landmines into their arsenals. Yet some state actors continue to produce and deploy landmines. ![]() History already judges those who commanded them to be laid as the ultimate example in generational shortsightedness. Aside from the thousands of deaths and life-changing injuries that continue every year, landmines maintain a spectre of dormant yet sudden violence to those who live in their presence. This appeal has proved catastrophic for many communities around the world. They are cheap, abundant and easy to use. The use of landmines is characterised by convenience. This is because battlefields don’t remain battlefields once a conflict is over, yet landmines don’t know this. In 2019, at least 80% of victims of such devices were civilians – where the status was known – according to the Landmine Monitor. UK arms exports to countries of concernĬivilians continually make up the majority of landmine victims.Killing in the Shadows: UKSF extra-judicial murders.Civilian deaths from British military action.Air strikes and terror attacks examined.Anatomies of Manufactured Explosive Weapons.
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