Tuesday 21 June 2022 11:35 PM Biden will move to limit use of land mines trends now
President Biden moved to limit the U.S. military's use of land mines Tuesday, in a realignment with the 1997 Ottawa Treaty.
Anti-personnel land mines which detonate to kill on contact have a disproportionate impact on children and civilians, the White House said in announcing the new policy that overturns former President Trump's move to loosen restrictions on land mines.
Under the new policy, the U.S. will restrict the use of such explosives except in the Korean Peninsula, where U.S. officials said a commitment to defending South Korea against its northern counterpart prevents them from banning the use of land mines there.
The 1997 Ottawa Treaty banned the use, stockpiling, production, and transfer of anti-personnel landmines.
President Biden moved to limit the U.S. military's use of land mines Tuesday, in a realignment with the 1997 Ottawa Treaty
A mine warning sign is seen in front of buildings that were destroyed by Russian shelling, amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine, in Borodyanka, Kyiv region, Ukraine April 7
Smoke rises after an explosion during a demining mission by members of a demining team of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine near the village of Hryhorivka, Zaporizhzhia Region, on May 5, 2022
A pillar of smoke rises over a field following a controlled detonation of explosives, Sumy Region, northeastern Ukraine, on June 17
Senior State Department official Stanley Brown said that the policy was a show of contrast against Russia' frequent use of land mines.
"The administration's actions today are in a sharp contrast to Russia's actions in Ukraine, where there's compelling evidence that Russian forces are using explosive munitions,
