Barran Press
The Saudi Project for the Clearance of Mines in Yemen (MASAM) announced on Sunday, June 16th, that its field teams successfully removed 1,556 mines in three Yemeni governorates during the second week of June.
According to a MASAM press release, the removed mines included 52 anti-tank mines, 1,503 unexploded ordnance, and one improvised explosive device, scattered across Aden, Marib, and Taiz governorates.
In Aden, MASAM removed 196 unexploded ordnance. In Marib, 50 anti-tank mines and 1,300 unexploded ordnance were removed in Marib district. Additionally, two anti-tank mines were cleared in Dhu bab district of Taiz governorate, along with three unexploded ordnance in the al-Mocha district, and four unexploded ordnance and one improvised explosive device in the Sabr district.
The project reported that the total number of mines removed in June now stands at 2,810, bringing the total number removed since its inception to 447,668. These mines were indiscriminately planted throughout Yemen, claiming the lives of innocent civilians, including children, women, and the elderly.
Launched in 2018 as a humanitarian initiative by the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center, MASAM currently operates 32 demining teams in areas controlled by the internationally recognized government.
In June 2023, Yemeni President Rashid al-Alimi awarded MASAM and the National Mine Action Program with the Medal of Courage, recognizing their efforts in clearing Yemeni lands of mines and unexploded ordnance planted by the Houthi group, internationally designated as a terrorist organization.
UN reports indicate that the Houthis have planted over two million mines in areas under their control, resulting in the deaths and injuries of over 20,000 civilians, mostly women and children. rights organizations accuse the Houthis of turning Yemen into the world's largest minefield, urging them to provide maps of the planted mines to demining organizations.