Barran Press
The Saudi Project for Landmine Clearance in Yemen (MASAM) reported Wednesday that its teams destroyed 600 landmines and improvised explosive devices (IEDs) collected in the Dhahaba area of Ain District, Shabwa Governorate, southern Yemen. The explosives were gathered over the preceding months.
According to a statement released by MASAM," the project's survey teams cleared the 600 mines, IEDs, and unexploded ordnance (UXO) from the Baihan, Usaylan, and Ain districts within Shabwa Governorate.
Hussein al-Aqili, a survey team leader, emphasized that this destruction operation underscores MASAM's continuous efforts to rid Yemeni territories of mines and war remnants, thereby safeguarding civilians in liberated zones.
Since its inception in 2018, MASAM has cleared approximately 500,000 landmines, UXO, and IEDs across Yemen, marking it as a significant and ongoing humanitarian endeavor in the country.
United Nations reports estimate that the Houthi group, designated internationally as a terrorist organization, has planted approximately two million landmines across Yemen. These explosives have caused over 20,000 civilian casualties, predominantly among women and children.
Human rights organizations have accused the Houthis of transforming Yemen into "the world's largest minefield" due to the extensive planting of landmines and have repeatedly urged the group to provide minefield maps to demining organizations.