Ongoing humanitarian efforts to save lives
continues The Saudi Project for Landmine Clearance (MASAM)its noble humanitarian mission to combat the “hidden death” that threatens the lives of millions of Yemenis. The project announced that its field teams removed 1,273 landmines and unexploded ordnance during the fourth week of April, bringing the total number of mines, improvised explosive devices (IEDs), and other munitions cleared since the project's inception to 557,007 were planted indiscriminately by militias across various Yemeni governorates.
Background to the conflict and the landmine disaster in Yemen
The landmine problem in Yemen is one of the most serious consequences of the years-long conflict. The widespread and indiscriminate use of landmines, both anti-personnel and anti-vehicle, has transformed vast areas of farmland, roads, and residential areas into death traps that directly threaten civilians. These mines do not distinguish between combatants and civilians and will remain a deadly threat for decades to come, even after the conflict ends. This hinders the return of displaced persons, paralyzes the local economy, and prevents humanitarian aid from reaching those in need. International and human rights organizations have documented that Yemen has become one of the most heavily mined countries in the world.
The importance of the “Masam” project and its humanitarian impact
The Masam Project was launched in 2018 as a humanitarian response from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to this disaster, with the primary goal of saving innocent lives and securing Yemeni lands. The project's impact extends beyond the local level of protecting Yemeni children, women, and the elderly; it encompasses regional and international dimensions. Locally, land clearance enables farmers to return to their fields, opens roads for trade and aid, and restores normalcy to liberated areas. Regionally, the project is a key component of the Kingdom's efforts to achieve stability in Yemen and the region, and to alleviate the humanitarian suffering of the Yemeni people. Internationally, these efforts highlight the Kingdom's leading role in humanitarian work and its commitment to implementing international standards in mine clearance.
Details of the last week's operations
The latest demining operations were spread across several governorates, with MASAM teams successfully removing 105 anti-tank mines, 3 anti-personnel mines, 1,157 pieces of unexploded ordnance, and 8 improvised explosive devices (IEDs). These operations covered multiple districts in the governorates of Aden, Al Dhale'e, Al Hudaydah, Hadramawt, Hajjah, Lahj, Ma'rib, Shabwah, and Taiz, reflecting the teams' wide deployment and coverage of diverse areas. With these efforts, the number of mines removed in April alone has risen to 5,818, underscoring the accelerated pace of fieldwork aimed at ending this nightmare that plagues Yemenis.
