'For years, the response to IEDs was predominantly a military one, focusing on efforts to 'defeat the device', 'attack the networks', and 'prepare the force'. While these steps are important, they are not sufficient. Without tackling the deeper causes of the issue - such as weak governance, marginalization, and lack of trust in state institutions - the devastating ramifications of IEDs will persist.'

Improvised explosive devices (IEDs) have become a key tool in asymmetric warfare, employed in the pursuit of many objectives, including destabilization of the state and governing authorities, exertion of control and influence, and creation of fear in a population. More than 80 per cent of civilian IED casualties occur in civilian spaces, and civilians are deliberately targeted, including vulnerable groups such as children.