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US Land Mines Found Near Shiraz Kill Civilians in First Such Deployment in Decades
American BLU-91/B anti-tank mines found near Shiraz have killed civilians and pose ongoing risks due to unexploded duds, according to Iranian media and open-source investigations.
- On Thursday, Bellingcat reported that images posted on social media appear to show American BLU-91 anti-tank mines in a village near Shiraz, Iran, discovered in two separate locations.
- The munitions are part of the American Gator cluster bomb system, which disperses from a 500-pound device to create an instant minefield; these weapons often fail to self-destruct as designed, leaving hazardous duds behind.
- Richard Weir, a senior adviser at Human Rights Watch, warned the mines can spontaneously detonate, stating "anybody who comes across it" is at risk since the weapons do not discriminate between targets.
- Iranian state media reported that some civilians were killed by the devices, urging residents not to touch them, while the United States Central Command declined to comment on Friday regarding potential deployment.
- Cluster munitions are banned by a 2008 treaty ratified by 112 nations, though the United States is not a signatory; the United States has not used anti-tank mines meaningfully since the 1991 Gulf War.
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US land mines seen in photos from Iran pose 'extreme danger' to civilians
If confirmed, US military use of mines which cause civilian deaths and injuries shows why decades of work to ban them cannot be undone without grave harm, says human rights expert - Anadolu Ajansı
·Ankara, Türkiye
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Coverage Details
Total News Sources25
Leaning Left4Leaning Right5Center5Last UpdatedBias Distribution36% Center, 36% Right
Bias Distribution
- 36% of the sources are Center, 36% of the sources lean Right
36% Right
L 28%
C 36%
R 36%
Factuality
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