What are cluster bombs?
Cluster munitions are large weapons which are deployed from the air by aircraft including fighters, bombers and helicopters and release dozens or hundreds of smaller submunitions. Submunitions released by air-dropped cluster bombs are most often called “bomblets, while those delivered from the ground are usually referred to as “grenades.”. First, their wide-area effect virtually guarantees civilian casualties when they are used in populated areas. Second, many of the submunitions do not explode on impact as designed, causing civilian casualties for months or years to come. What’s the problem with this weapon? Air-dropped or ground-launched, they cause two major humanitarian problems and risks to civilians. First, their widespread deployment means they cannot distinguish between military targets and civilians so the humanitarian impact can be extreme when the weapon is used in or near populated areas. Many bomblets fail to detonate on impact and become de facto antipersonnel mines killi
