The Saudi Project for Landmine Clearance in Yemen (MASAM), affiliated with the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center, announced a new milestone in its humanitarian mission. During the third week of February, its field teams successfully removed and destroyed 2,676 landmines, unexploded ordnance, and improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in various regions of Yemen. This achievement brings the total number of mines cleared in February alone to 6,682, while the overall total since the project's inception has reached 544,187.
The clearance operations during the past week included the removal of 17 anti-personnel mines, 149 anti-tank mines, 2,484 pieces of unexploded ordnance, and 26 improvised explosive devices. These efforts covered the governorates of Aden, Hodeidah, Hadramawt, Hajjah, Marib, Shabwah, and Taiz, reflecting the widespread deployment of the project teams and their commitment to covering the largest possible area of contaminated land.
The general context of the landmine crisis in Yemen
The problem of landmines and unexploded ordnance is one of the most serious challenges facing Yemen since the outbreak of conflict in late 2014. The indiscriminate and extensive use of landmines by the Houthi militia has transformed vast areas of farmland, roads, and residential areas into death traps, threatening the lives of millions of civilians. These mines, planted without maps or markings, make no distinction between combatants and civilians, and remain a deadly threat for years after the fighting has ceased, hindering the return of displaced persons and paralyzing economic and agricultural activity in the affected areas.
The importance of the “Masam” project and its humanitarian impact
The Masam project was launched in 2018 as a direct humanitarian response from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to this disaster. The project's importance extends beyond mere demining, encompassing profound humanitarian, developmental, and strategic dimensions.
- At the local level, every landmine removed represents an opportunity to save an innocent life, whether it's a child at play, a farmer working in his field, or a woman gathering firewood. MASAM's efforts directly contribute to restoring security to local communities, enabling displaced people to return home safely, revitalizing agricultural lands abandoned due to fear, and facilitating humanitarian access to previously isolated areas.
- At the regional and international levels, the Kingdom's efforts through the "Masam" project are an integral part of its role in supporting the stability of Yemen and the region. Clearing landmines is a fundamental step towards reconstruction and achieving sustainable peace. The project also reflects a commitment to international humanitarian principles and international humanitarian law, which criminalizes the indiscriminate use of landmines, and provides a leading model in the field of specialized humanitarian work in addressing the remnants of war.
The continued work of the “Masam” project and its successive successes confirm that clearing the land of instruments of death is the first step towards planting the seeds of hope and life anew for the brotherly Yemeni people, and enabling them to build a safe and stable future.
