Barran Press
A 17-year-old boy suffered critical injuries on Tuesday after stepping on a landmine planted by the Iran-backed Houthi group in the Maqbanah district, west of Taiz Governorate, southwestern Yemen, local sources reported.
The sources, speaking to "Baran Press," identified the injured youth as Dhaki Muhammad Qaid al-Maaraji. The explosion occurred in the Bani Abdullah village as he herded camels on a rural path connecting the al-Ashmalah area to al-Burh city.
Medical personnel confirmed that al-Maaraji sustained severe injuries and was transferred to al-Burh medical clinic for urgent treatment.
In a separate, near-simultaneous incident, a remnant Houthi-planted landmine detonated under agricultural machinery in the "Hadiyah" area, situated between the Maqbanah district of Taiz and the Hays district of Al-Hudaydah Governorate.
Local sources indicated that the blast heavily damaged the tractor. The driver sustained minor injuries and received treatment at a private clinic.
The Maqbanah and Hays districts are notorious for their high concentration of landmines laid by the Houthi group. These areas frequently experience explosions of unexploded ordnance and improvised explosive devices, causing numerous casualties, with children and women disproportionately affected.
According to United Nations estimates, the Houthis have planted approximately two million landmines across Yemen, leading to over 20,000 civilian deaths and injuries, the majority being women and children.
Human rights reports have accused the Houthis of transforming Yemen into "the world's largest minefield" due to their extensive use of landmines. Rights organizations have repeatedly urged the group to provide minefield maps to demining organizations.
These latest incidents highlight the persistent and devastating threat posed by landmines to civilians in Yemen, particularly in regions that have endured significant conflict.