What are mines?
Mines are explosive hazards that are placed intentionally to maim or kill people. They are activated by the victim (through mechanisms such as pressure, trip wires or motion detection). Their production is very easy and cheap. Once laid, they remain active without any maintenance. Other types of weapons such as unexploded cluster munitions also represent a similar danger to civilians. Because of their indiscriminate effect, these weapons are banned by international conventions, namely by the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention (APMBC) and the Convention on Cluster Munitions (CCM). Today, many of the new items are improvised, made with everyday household items and readily available chemical products. This often makes their detection and disposal even more complex.
