Land Mines Keep Killing Decades After Wars End

Land mines were developed as defensive weapons that could be buried and forgotten, exploding when stepped on or driven over. They were designed to maim soldiers rather than kill them, since an injured soldier requires more resources than a dead one. The cruelty of this design continues long after wars end. An estimated 110 million land mines remain buried in 78 countries worldwide. They kill or injure about 5,000 people annually, mostly civilians and children who stumble upon them decades after the conflicts that placed them. Clearing all existing mines would take over 1,000 years at current rates.