Anexplosive weapon is aweapon that uses anexplosive to projectblast and/orfragmentation from a point ofdetonation.

In the common practice ofstates, explosive weapons are generally the preserve of themilitary, for use in situations ofarmed conflict, and are rarely used for purposes of domesticpolicing.

When explosive weapons fail to function as designed they are often left asunexploded ordnance (UXO).

Explosive weapons may be subdivided by their method of manufacture into explosiveordnance andimprovised explosive devices (IEDs). Certain types of explosive ordnance and many improvised explosive devices are sometimes referred to under the generic termbomb.

Certain types of explosive weapons may be categorized aslight weapons (e.g.grenades,grenade launchers,rocket launchers,anti-tank guided missile launchers,man-portable air-defense systems, andmortars of calibers of less than 100 mm).^[1] Many explosive weapons, such asaerial bombs,multiple rocket launchers,artillery, and larger mortars, are categorized as heavy weapons.

In armed conflict, the general rules ofinternational humanitarian law governing the conduct of hostilities apply to the use of all types of explosive weapons as means or methods of warfare.

Taken in combination, Amended Protocol II and Protocol V to theUnited NationsConvention on Certain Conventional Weapons establish a responsibility on the users of explosive weapons to record and retain information on their use of such weapons (including the location of use and the type and quantity of weapons used), to provide such information to parties in control of territory that may be affected byUXO, and to assist with the removal of this threat.

Certain types of explosive weapons have been subject to prohibition in international treaties. TheSaint Petersburg Declaration of 1868 prohibits the use of certain explosive rifle projectiles. This prohibition has evolved into a ban onexploding ammunition undercustomary international humanitarian law binding on all States. The 1997Mine Ban Treaty and the 2008Convention on Cluster Munitions also prohibit types of explosive weapons,anti-personnel landmines andcluster munitions, forstates parties to thesetreaties.

TheSecretary-General of the United Nations has expressed increasing concern at "the humanitarian impact of explosive weapons, in particular when used in densely populated areas."^[2] The President of theInternational Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC),Jakob Kellenberger has noted that "ICRC’s key operations in 2009 – in the Gaza Strip and in Sri Lanka – provided stark illustrations of the potentially devastating humanitarian consequences of military operations conducted in densely populated areas, especially when heavy or highly explosive weapons are used."^[3]

According to the British NGOAction on Armed Violence (AOAV), when explosive weapons are used inpopulated areas (towns, villages, residential neighbourhoods) the overwhelming majority (91% in 2012) of direct casualties arecivilians.^[4]

Action on Armed Violence has also charted a dramatic rise in the use ofsuicide bombing andimprovised explosive devices globally. Their data showed the number of civilians killed or injured by car and suicide bombs and other improvised explosive devices rising by 70 percent in the three years to 2013.^[5]

TheInternational Network on Explosive Weapons (INEW), a partnership of NGOs, is calling for immediate action to prevent human suffering from the use of explosive weapons in populated areas.

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• The International Network on Explosive Weapons (INEW)
• Action on Armed Violence (AOAV) Explosive Violence Monitoring project
• United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR) project on explosive weapons
• Explosive Violence, The Problem of Explosive Weapons, report by Richard Moyes (Landmine Action, 2009) on the humanitarian problems caused by the use of explosive weapons in populated areas
• Article 36 - civil society initiative on the humanitarian impact of weapons