A recent report on the global impact of cluster munitions has revealed that 1,063 people were killed or wounded by the weapons in 2025. This data marks a significant increase in casualties, placing the 2025 toll among the highest annual figures documented since tracking began.

Cluster munitions are controversial weapons that release smaller submunitions over a wide area. Because many of these submunitions fail to detonate upon impact, they often remain on the ground as unexploded ordnance, posing a lethal threat to civilians long after a conflict has ended. International treaties, such as the Convention on Cluster Munitions, seek to ban the use, production, and stockpiling of these weapons due to their indiscriminate nature and the long-term danger they pose to non-combatants.

The report highlights the ongoing humanitarian crisis caused by the use of these weapons in active conflict zones. While the specific geographic distribution of these casualties was not detailed in the initial summary, the high number of victims underscores the persistent danger posed by both active use and the remnants of past conflicts. International humanitarian organizations continue to call for stricter adherence to global bans and increased efforts in clearing contaminated land to protect civilian populations from these delayed-action hazards.