More than five children per day are killed or injured by explosives globally, with recent research showing that nearly half of civilian casualties from landmines and explosive remnants were children between 2020 and 2025. Save the Children reports that the use of drones and artificial intelligence in conflicts is exacerbating this issue, increasing threats to civilians, particularly in densely populated areas like Gaza. The organization highlights cases such as Khaleel, a 10-year-old boy injured by an explosive remnant while playing football, illustrating the severe impacts on children's health and well-being.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-09-20,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
The growing use of drones and artificial intelligence in conflict is exposing children to new threats at a time when more than five a day are already being killed or injured by explosives around the world.
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five → grow → world
Children accounted for nearly half of civilian casualties from landmines and explosive remnants of war between 2020 and 2025, according to new research by Save the Children (StC).
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Children → account → Children
More than 12,000 were killed or injured.
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12,000 → kill → ?
Now rapidly evolving military technology is changing civilian exposure to conflict at a time when rights groups say the international norms designed to protect children and their families are being weakened.
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norms → evolve → children
Air-launched explosives, including from attack drones, accounted for around two-thirds of incidents of civilian harm last year globally, with health workers carrying out medical procedures by phone light to avoid attracting their attention, StC said.
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StC → launch → attention
In Ukraine, drone attacks on schools increased by 358 per cent last year, while drone attacks accounted for the vast majority of child casualties in Sudan in the first months of this year.
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attacks → increase → year
Khaleel, 10, was playing football near a school in Gaza when the ball rolled into an area containing an explosive remnant of war.
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ball → play → war
When he went to retrieve it, an explosion left him with shrapnel wounds to his face, both eyes and one ear.
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explosion → go → face
He has since suffered severe vision loss, persistent pain and hearing problems, and struggles to read the board at school or play with other children.
“Seeing him covered in blood and unable to open his eyes was one of the most painful moments of my life.
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him → suffer → life
He is my only son after many years of waiting and watching him suffer has been devastating.”
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him → wait → years
his mother, Mona, 42, said.
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mother → say → ?
Mona and Khaleel’s names have been changed for thier safety.
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names → change → safety
StC also highlighted Gaza as an example of a new phase in modern warfare, in which drone surveillance, AI-supported targeting and other unmanned systems are being used at an alarming scale in densely populated areas.
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surveillance → highlight → areas
AI technology has already changed how wars are fought, bringing the time it takes to identify targets for tens of minutes to in some cases seconds.
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it → change → seconds
Its growing use in warfare also raises concerns about how decisions to use force are being made, particularly when children and other civilians are present.
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children → grow → force
In a report published on Thursday, the UN’s top human rights body said they have found “reasonable grounds” to believe the US committed war crimes in two strikes in Iran, including on a school in Minab, that killed at least 177 civilians.
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that → publish → civilians
US officials have previously confirmed that AI was used during the operation to process intelligence and assist analysts in identifying targets.
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AI → confirm → targets
The US department of defense has investigations ongoing into the incidents, but the US has denied committing war crimes.
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US → have → crimes
White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly said in a statement, “The only party in this conflict that has committed war crimes is the Iranian regime”.
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that → say → crimes
Speaking during a visit to Imperial College London’s I-HUB innovation centre also on Thursday, Harry, the Duke of Sussex, pledged his commitment to children injured in conflict, saying that “whilst children continue to suffer, I will keep working to ensure they can live life to the full.”
“Children should not be exposed to conflict.
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Children → speak → conflict
They should not be losing limbs to blast,” he said.
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he → lose → blast
The university hosts the Centre for Paediatric Blast Injury Studies, which has pioneered prosthetic technology and long-term rehabilitation techniques for children who have suffered blast injuries.
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who → host → injuries
It comes as monthly child casualties in Ukraine have reached a four-year high, according to Unicef, while they have also surged in Sudan in recent months.
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they → come → months
In June, a report by an independent United Nation’s inquiry found that Israel’s ongoing killings of children in Gaza after a truce was called in its war on the Strip could amount to genocide.
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truce → find → genocide
It said that Israeli military operations have continued causing “unprecedented death, injury and trauma” to Palestinian children.
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operations → say → children
Israel has repeatedly denied any suggestion it has committed war crimes inside Gaza.
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it → deny → Gaza
“Governments must ensure that the laws and protections designed to keep children safe evolve with changes to warfare,” said Claire Sanford, Conflict and Humanitarian Director at Save the Children UK.
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Sanford → ensure → UK
“Children’s rights and safety must remain at the centre of decisions about how emerging technologies are developed and used.”
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technologies → remain → decisions
This article has been produced as part of The Independent’s Rethinking Global Aid project
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article → produce → project
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