The Chief of Staff of the Yemeni Army, Major General Sagheer bin Aziz, signed a contract in Marib, Yemen,  to renew the operation of the Saudi Project for Mine Clearance in Yemen (MASAM). The renewal ensures the project's continued efforts to remove landmines from the war-torn country.

According to the official Yemeni news agency Saba, Major General bin Aziz highlighted the significant role played by MASAM in the past, clearing land, roads, farms, beaches, schools, and civilian homes that were deliberately mined by the internationally recognized terrorist group, the Houthis, endangering innocent lives.

The Chief of Staff pledged full support and cooperation with MASAM, facilitating the work of the engineering teams to ensure the success of their efforts in removing Houthi-planted explosive devices and saving lives.

Launched in 2018 as a humanitarian initiative by the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center in Yemen, MASAM currently comprises 32 mine-clearing teams operating in areas controlled by the internationally recognized government.

Last June, Yemen's Presidential Leadership Council Chairman Rashad al-Alimi awarded MASAM and the National Mine Action Program with the Medal of Courage, recognizing their vital role in clearing Yemeni land of mines and unexploded ordnance planted by the Houthi group.

United Nations reports indicate that the Houthis have planted approximately two million landmines in various areas under their control, resulting in the death and injury of over 20,000 civilians, a majority of whom are women and children.

While human rights reports accuse the Houthis of "transforming Yemen into the largest minefield ever, after planting over two million mines," they repeatedly call on the Houthi group to provide maps of the landmines they have planted to organizations working in the field of mine clearance.