Lebanon's wartime decision to ban anti-personnel mines

ICRC Humanitarian Law and Policy Blog · May 7, 2026 · 11m

Lebanon’s accession last week to the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention (APMBC) comes not in a time of peace, but amid ongoing conflict – precisely when the consequences of inaction are most visible. In communities across the country, particularly in the south, anti-personnel mines are not relics of past wars, but active threats shaping daily life, obstructing return, and undermining recovery. Lebanon’s decision reflects a stark reality: weapons that continue to harm long after their use cannot be reconciled with the protection of civilians. In this post, Brigadier General Ziad Rizkallah of…