The antipersonnel mines, often called improvised explosive devices, were planted by the ISIS (ISIL, IS, Daesh) terrorist group, which until recently controlled the city.

Most of the mines appeared to be victim-activated and therefore banned under international law.

During a five-day investigation in the city from October 4 to 9, 2016, Human Rights Watch collected the names of 69 civilians, including 19 children, killed by improvised mines in schools, homes, and on roads during and after the fighting over control for the city, HRW reports.

A family member stands next to the graves of three children who were killed when an explosive device planted by ISIS in a school in Manbij detonated on September 27, 2016 /Photo by:Human Rights Watch.

The total is most likely much higher because Human Rights Watch was not able to collect information from all neighborhoods and villages.

Hospital staff said that they had treated hundreds of people injured by improvised mines.

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