Masam Project Clears 1,329 Mines in a Week Amid Yemen’s Landmine Crisis

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The Saudi-run “Masam” demining project has reported clearing 1,329 landmines and other explosive devices across Yemen during the third week of March, part of a sustained effort to rid the country of the ordnance that continues to threaten civilians long after it is laid. The project, operated by the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center, said the devices had been planted by the Houthi movement across various governorates.

According to a statement from the project, the items cleared during the week included 6 anti-personnel mines, 200 anti-tank mines, 1,116 pieces of unexploded ordnance and 7 improvised explosive devices. The operations were carried out in the governorates of Aden, Hadramout and Taiz, areas that have been significantly affected by the conflict and its aftermath.

The project reported that the total number of mines and explosive devices removed during March had reached 3,500, contributing to a cumulative total of more than half a million cleared since the initiative began. The figures reflect the sheer scale of contamination and the extent of the work required to make affected areas safe for the populations who live in them.

Landmines and unexploded ordnance represent one of the most insidious legacies of Yemen’s war. Unlike the immediate violence of the fighting, these devices remain in place long after clashes end, lying hidden in fields, roads and residential areas where they pose a constant and indiscriminate danger to anyone who happens upon them.

The human cost has been severe. Mines and explosive remnants of war have killed and maimed large numbers of civilians in Yemen, including children, women and the elderly, many of them going about the ordinary business of daily life. Farmers working their land, children playing and families returning to their homes have all fallen victim to devices they could not see.

The categories of ordnance cleared illustrate the range of threats. Anti-personnel mines are designed to kill or injure people and are especially dangerous to civilians, while anti-tank mines, intended to destroy vehicles, can devastate the cars and trucks on which communities depend. Unexploded ordnance and improvised explosive devices add further layers of danger to already hazardous environments.

The distribution of the work across Aden, Hadramout and Taiz reflects the geographic breadth of the contamination. These governorates, like many others, have experienced the effects of the conflict, and the presence of mines and explosives in such areas complicates recovery, hampers the return of displaced people and impedes the resumption of normal economic activity.

Demining is painstaking and dangerous work. Clearing mines requires specialised training, equipment and patience, as teams methodically locate and neutralise devices while guarding their own safety. The deminers who carry out this work operate in hazardous conditions, and their efforts are essential to reducing the threat that ordnance poses to civilians.

The Masam project, launched in 2018, has become one of the most prominent demining initiatives in Yemen. Through its teams operating across the country, it has sought to clear contaminated areas, raise awareness of the dangers posed by mines and contribute to the broader effort to protect civilians from the explosive legacy of the war.

The cumulative total of devices cleared, numbering in the hundreds of thousands, testifies both to the achievements of the project and to the enormity of the challenge. Yemen is considered one of the most heavily mined countries in the world, and despite years of effort, vast quantities of ordnance are believed to remain, ensuring that demining will be a long-term undertaking.

The threat posed by mines extends beyond the immediate danger to life and limb. Contaminated land cannot be safely farmed, roads cannot be safely travelled and areas cannot be safely resettled, meaning that mines impede economic activity, obstruct the return of displaced families and hinder the delivery of humanitarian assistance. Their removal is thus a prerequisite for recovery.

Awareness of the dangers is an important complement to clearance. Educating communities, and especially children, about the risks posed by mines and how to avoid them can help reduce casualties in areas that have not yet been cleared. Such awareness efforts form part of a comprehensive approach to protecting civilians from explosive hazards.

The continued discovery and clearance of large quantities of ordnance underscores the persistence of the threat. Even as teams clear thousands of devices, the scale of contamination means that the danger remains widespread, and the work of demining must continue for years to come if affected areas are to be made truly safe.

For the communities affected, the removal of mines brings tangible benefits, restoring access to land, roads and homes and reducing the daily fear that accompanies life in contaminated areas. Each device cleared represents a potential life saved and a step toward the restoration of normal existence for people who have already endured immense hardship.

The March figures released by the project offer a snapshot of an ongoing effort whose importance is difficult to overstate. As Yemen looks toward eventual recovery, the clearance of mines and explosive remnants of war will remain a fundamental task, essential to protecting civilians and to enabling the safe return and rebuilding of communities across the country.