Project Masam for demining clears Yemen of 1,737 mines
has The Masam Project for Landmine Clearanceachieved another milestone in its ongoing humanitarian mission to clear Yemeni lands. During the fourth week of March, engineering teams successfully removed 1,737 landmines and unexploded ordnance from various Yemeni regions and cities. These tireless efforts are part of the ongoing commitment to saving the lives of innocent civilians and securing areas that have been indiscriminately mined.
In detail, the field efforts included the removal of five anti-personnel mines and 1,732 pieces of unexploded ordnance. The clearance operations were concentrated in several key Yemeni governorates. In Aden Governorate, the MASAM team neutralized 242 pieces of unexploded ordnance. In Al Hudaydah Governorate, specifically in Al Khawkhah District, one piece of unexploded ordnance was removed. The most significant achievement this week was in Al Mukalla District, Hadramawt Governorate, where teams successfully removed five anti-personnel mines and 1,489 pieces of unexploded ordnance, directly contributing to the safety of local residents.
The roots of the crisis and the escalating threat of explosives
The landmine crisis in Yemen stems from the years-long armed conflict, which has led to the indiscriminate and undocumented planting of hundreds of thousands of landmines and improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in villages, farms, and vital roads. These practices have transformed vast swathes of Yemeni land into hidden death traps, threatening the lives of millions. Historically, Yemen has never witnessed such a massive number of explosives planted in civilian areas, necessitating urgent international and regional intervention to mitigate this humanitarian catastrophe that disrupts daily life and prevents aid from reaching those in need.
The human dimensions of the success of the Masam demining project
is The Masam demining project of paramount importance, extending far beyond simply removing explosives to achieve profound positive impacts at the local, regional, and international levels. Locally, the project contributes to restoring normalcy, enabling farmers to return to their lands and ensuring children can attend school safely without fear of lurking dangers. Regionally and internationally, this initiative reflects the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's unwavering commitment to supporting stability and peace in Yemen and easing the burden on the international community in addressing one of the most complex humanitarian crises of our time.
Ongoing achievements in numbers
With these latest figures, the total number of mines and unexploded ordnance removed during March has risen to 5,237. More importantly, the cumulative figure reflects the scale of this historic achievement, with a total of 551,189 mines and improvised explosive devices (IEDs) cleared since the project's inception. These explosives were planted indiscriminately with the intent to claim the lives of innocent children, women, and the elderly, and to sow terror in the hearts of civilians. This achievement underscores that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, through its humanitarian arm, the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre, is resolutely pursuing its noble project, which enhances the safety of civilians and paves the way for our Yemeni brothers and sisters to live in a safe environment and enjoy a dignified and stable life.
