Barran Press
The Saudi Project for the Clearance of Yemeni Lands from Mines (MASAM) announced on Wednesday, May 29th, 2024, that it had removed 1,375 mines, unexploded ordnance, and explosive devices during the past week in various Yemeni governorates.
A statement issued by MASAM's operations room, obtained by "Barran Press," explained that the removed explosives included 1,345 unexploded ordnance and 11 anti-tank mines.
According to the statement, the total number of unexploded ordnance removed by MASAM field teams since the beginning of May 2024 is 4,201, along with 77 anti-tank mines.
MASAM also reported that its field teams cleared 190,135 square meters of Yemeni land last week, bringing the total area cleared since the beginning of May to 659,867 square meters.
To date, MASAM's engineering teams have cleared 56,636,614 square meters of Yemeni land contaminated with mines, ordnance, and explosive devices, according to the statement.
UN reports indicate that the Houthi group, classified as a terrorist organization, has planted approximately two million mines in areas under its control, resulting in the deaths and injuries of over 20,000 civilians, the majority of whom are women and children. rights reports accuse the Houthi group, globally listed as a terrorist organization, of transforming Yemen into "the largest minefield ever, after planting over two million mines."
Human rights organizations are calling on the Houthi group to hand over maps of the landmines they have planted to organizations working in mine clearance and are demanding the reconstitution of the National Committee for Mine Action.
MASAM was launched in 2018 as a humanitarian initiative within the efforts of the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center in Yemen. It currently has 32 mine clearance teams operating in areas under the legitimate government's control. The majority of the team members are Yemeni engineers and technicians, according to a previous statement by the project.
In June 2023, Yemen's Presidential Leadership Council Chairman Rashad al-Alimi issued two decrees awarding the MASAM project and the National Mine Action Programme with the Medal of Courage, in recognition of their role in clearing Yemeni lands of mines and unexploded ordnance planted by the Houthi group.