Barran Press
On November 19, 2024, the Saudi project for clearing Yemeni lands of landmines, known as "Masam," reported that its engineering teams removed 614 landmines and unexploded ordnance during the second week of November. The project attributed these explosives to the Houthi group, which is internationally classified as a terrorist organization.
In a statement reviewed by "Barran Press," Masam detailed that the removed explosives included three anti-personnel mines, 36 anti-tank mines, 574 pieces of unexploded ordnance, and one improvised explosive device.
As of now, the total number of landmines removed in November has reached 1,509, while the cumulative total since the inception of the Masam project stands at 469,576. These landmines have been indiscriminately planted across various governorates, posing significant risks to innocent lives, particularly those of women, children, and the elderly.
According to United Nations reports, the Houthi group has planted approximately two million landmines in regions under its control, resulting in over 20,000 civilian casualties, the majority of whom are women and children. rights reports accuse the Houthis of turning Yemen into the world's largest minefield, having planted more than two million landmines. Rights organizations have repeatedly called on the Houthi group to provide maps of the landmines they have deployed to assist the organizations working in mine clearance.