Ongoing humanitarian efforts to save civilian lives
As part of the pioneering humanitarian efforts led by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Masam Project for clearing Yemeni lands of mines, affiliated with the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center, has achieved another milestone in its impressive record. During the third week of May, the project's engineering teams successfully removed 1,590 mines and unexploded ordnance from several Yemeni areas heavily contaminated with war remnants.
The historical context of the landmine crisis in Yemen
The roots of the landmine crisis in Yemen lie in the armed conflict that erupted in late 2014, which saw the indiscriminate and widespread planting of hundreds of thousands of landmines and improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in farms, roads, schools, and residential areas. These practices, which violate international law and human rights, have transformed vast areas of Yemen into death traps, threatening the lives of innocent civilians daily. In response to this humanitarian catastrophe, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia launched Project Masam in mid-2018 as an emergency response aimed at helping the Yemeni people overcome this tragedy and creating a safe environment that would allow displaced persons to return to their homes.
Details of the removal operations during the third week of May
The mines removed this week included various types posing a significant threat to civilians, including 113 anti-tank mines, 11 anti-personnel mines, 1,461 unexploded ordnance, and 5 improvised explosive devices. The field operations covered several key Yemeni governorates
- In the governorates of Aden, Al Dhale'e, and Al Hudaydah: One anti-personnel mine and 249 pieces of unexploded ordnance were removed in Aden. In Qa'tabah district of Al Dhale'e, two anti-personnel mines were removed. In Al Khawkhah district of Al Hudaydah, one anti-tank mine was removed.
- In the governorates of Hadramawt, Hajjah, and Lahj: In the Al-Mukalla district of Hadramawt, four anti-personnel mines and 1,002 pieces of unexploded ordnance were removed. In the Midi district of Hajjah, three anti-personnel mines, 107 anti-tank mines, 119 pieces of unexploded ordnance, and five improvised explosive devices were removed. In the Al-Mudharabah district of Lahj, three anti-tank mines and 24 pieces of unexploded ordnance were removed.
- In the governorates of Ma'rib, Shabwa, and Taiz: In Al-Wadi district of Ma'rib, the team successfully removed five unexploded ordnance. In Bayhan district of Shabwa, one anti-personnel mine was removed. In Taiz, efforts included the removal of an anti-tank mine and 22 pieces of unexploded ordnance in Al-Mukha, an anti-tank mine and 32 pieces of unexploded ordnance in Dhubab, four pieces of unexploded ordnance in Al-Qahirah, and four more in Al-Sala.
Strategic importance and expected impact
The importance of the “Masam” project extends beyond its local role of protecting the lives of children, women, and the elderly; it encompasses regional and international dimensions. Locally, clearing the land contributes to the revitalization of the economy, the return of farmers to their fields, and the securing of aid supply routes. Regionally and internationally, clearing coastal areas such as Hodeidah, Hajjah, and Taiz (Al-Mukha and Dhubab) plays a pivotal role in securing maritime navigation in the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandab Strait, thereby enhancing the stability of global trade and mitigating terrorist threats.
A huge toll that reflects the scale of the tragedy and the effort made
With these new figures, the total number of mines and unexploded ordnance removed since the beginning of May has risen to 4,714. More importantly, the total number of mines removed since the launch of Project Masam has reached a record high of 562,730. These staggering figures reflect the scale of the disaster caused by the indiscriminate planting of mines and underscore the unwavering commitment of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, through its humanitarian arm, the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center, to continue its tireless efforts to clear every inch of Yemeni territory and enable the Yemeni people to live in a safe, stable, and prosperous environment.
