Mortar bombs, 82 mm

Conflict Usage

Boko Haram Insurgency

Side: Boko Haram and ISWAPRole: Insurgent indirect-fire ammunitionstrike

A UN DPO/UNODA and Lake Chad Basin Commission study lists 60, 81, and 82 mm mortar bombs among the main manufactured ammunition used by Boko Haram, while noting that such materiel is typically acquired through battlefield capture or illicit-market diversion.

Sudan War

Side: Rapid Support ForcesRole: RSF indirect-fire mortar ammunitionstrike

Human Rights Watch identified Type PP87 82 mm HE mortar munitions as RSF-used ammunition in the Sudan War, citing June 2024 video of RSF-camouflage personnel unpacking the shells and a November 2023 RSF video claiming capture from the SAF in Omdurman; Amnesty separately documented 2023-made PP87 mortar bombs in East Darfur and other parts of Sudan while noting uncertainty over the Darfur user and import path.

Mortar bombs, 82 mm Images

Related Weapon Systems

MunitionsMortar bombs, 120mmHeavy mortar ammunition120 mm mortar bombs are fin-stabilized heavy mortar projectiles fired from 120 mm mortar systems for indirect fire. In the Boko Haram Insurgency, Nigerian Army reporting documented two unspecified 120 mm mortar bombs recovered from Boko Haram terrorists during December 2017 Lake Chad basin clearance operations, indicating insurgent access to heavy mortar ammunition even when the exact model and supply path were not publicly identified.

MunitionsMortar bombs, 81mm81 mm mortar bomb81 mm mortar bombs are fin-stabilized indirect-fire munitions made by many state arsenals and ammunition manufacturers for medium mortars. In the Boko Haram Insurgency, AOAV documented 81 mm mortar bombs among captured military ammunition used by Boko Haram to build improvised explosive devices rather than as a precisely identified factory variant.

ArtilleryMortar launcher, 82mmPortable smoothbore mortar launcherThis entry covers the 82 mm mortar-launcher caliber class rather than a single factory model. In the Boko Haram Insurgency, UN-supported Lake Chad Basin research identifies mortar launchers among Boko Haram-used manufactured light weapons, with 82 mm mortar ammunition documented in the same typology and components recovered during Nigerian clearance operations.

ArtilleryMortarsInfantry and artillery mortar classMortars are short-barreled, high-angle indirect-fire weapons used by infantry, artillery units, and armed groups for close support, harassment, and attacks on positions behind cover. The catalog entry treats mortars as a broad weapon class because the direct conflict sources usually document mortar use without identifying exact calibers or models, including Philippine government support fires at Marawi, Hezbollah fire at Mount Dov, jihadist attacks in Mali and Sinai, FARC dissident improvised mortars in Colombia, Sudan War battlefield use, and Cambodia-accused cross-border fire.

Munitions122 mm Katyusha rocketUnguided 122 mm artillery rocketThe 122 mm Katyusha rocket is the common Grad-style unguided artillery rocket family associated with BM-21 and improvised launchers. In the Lake Chad basin, ISWAP has used captured Grad-compatible rockets for crude long-range attacks on towns and military facilities, while in Yemen open-source investigations document pro-Houthi use of 122 mm unguided rockets in Aden.

MunitionsMortar bombs, 60mm60 mm mortar ammunition60 mm mortar bombs are fin-stabilized light mortar rounds made in high-explosive, smoke, illuminating, and training variants for portable 60 mm mortar tubes. In the Boko Haram Insurgency, Nigerian military reporting has repeatedly listed 60 mm mortar bombs among weapons and explosive materiel recovered from Boko Haram or Boko Haram/ISWAP fighters, so this entry represents the caliber family rather than one traced manufacturer or lot.

Sources