Barran Press
The King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSRelief) announced on Sunday, July 14, 2024, the extension of its "MASAM" project to clear Yemen of landmines for another year, with a budget of $35,998,500.
According to the official Saudi Press Agency (SPA), Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al-Rabiah, the Royal Court Advisor and General Supervisor of KSRelief, stated that the renewal of the contract with the implementing partner comes due to the project's vital importance in completing the clearance of Yemeni land from mines that were planted indiscriminately in various forms and disguises, targeting innocent civilians.
Al-Rabiah highlighted that these mines have caused "permanent injuries, chronic disabilities, and numerous human casualties, particularly affecting women, children, and the elderly, in addition to posing threats to security and life." He further mentioned that the project has successfully removed 450,919 mines and various projectiles to date.
The project is implemented by Saudi personnel and global experts through Yemeni teams trained to remove mines in all their forms, planted haphazardly across Yemeni land. The goal is to clear the land of mine hazards and address the direct threats to the lives of innocent people caused by the widespread presence of these mines.
Osama Al-Qusaibee, Director General of the "MASAM" Mine Clearance Project in Yemen, expressed his gratitude to the Saudi leadership for their ongoing support and assistance to Yemen in its efforts to rid the country of the danger of mines and explosive materials.
In a statement issued on the occasion of the announcement of the project's renewal for the seventh consecutive year, Al-Qusaibee stated that the project "has successfully implemented its humanitarian operations in Yemeni territory over the past six years, achieving high performance rates in all its field operations."
He pointed out that this "is a significant achievement by international standards, with a total of 450,919 mines, unexploded ordnance, and explosive devices removed since the project's inception until the end of last week."
The Director General of the "MASAM" project explained that the project's work strategy "was based on clear foundations, established after extensive studies of the nature of the threat posed by mines of all types and forms, and the complex challenges specific to the situation in Yemen, which necessitate a doubling of human and material efforts."
He emphasized the importance of "taking into account the ongoing military operations and the continued planting of mines and booby-trapping of land and civilian facilities with all forms of explosive devices by the Houthi militia."
Al-Qusaibee stated that the seventh year's work will continue the project's efforts since its launch in mid-June 2018, focusing on localization through intensified training and logistical support.
Al-Qusaibee considered the situation Yemen faces regarding mines to be a "real disaster that threatens the present and future of the Yemeni people." He emphasized that the decision to extend the "MASAM" project stems from the Kingdom's belief in the necessity of assisting its brothers in this matter.
He called for "the convergence of all efforts, the opening of communication channels, cooperation, and information exchange between all international mine clearance programs operating in Yemen." He also commended the strategic partnership with the National Mine Action Program in Yemen (YEMAC), which has yielded significant results in achieving the objectives entrusted to both the project and the program.
The "MASAM" project was launched in 2018 to clear Yemen of mines as a humanitarian initiative within the efforts of the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center in Yemen. It currently comprises 32 mine clearance teams operating in areas under the control of the internationally recognized government.
Last June, Rashad Al-Alimi, President of the Presidential Leadership Council in Yemen, issued two decrees awarding the "MASAM" project and the National Mine Action Program the Medal of Courage, in recognition and appreciation for their role in clearing Yemeni land of mines, unexploded ordnance, and explosive devices planted by the Houthi group, which is internationally listed as a terrorist organization.
UN reports indicate that the Houthi group has planted approximately two million mines in various areas under their control, resulting in the death and injury of over 20,000 civilians, the majority of whom are women and children.
While human rights reports accuse the Houthis of "turning Yemen into the largest minefield ever, after planting over two million mines," human rights organizations repeatedly demand that the Houthi group hand over maps of the landmines they have planted to organizations working in the field of mine clearance.