Masam Clears 3,500 Mines and Explosive Devices in Yemen During March

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Masam demining teams in Yemen cleared 3,500 mines and explosive remnants of war during March, the Saudi-run project has reported, in the latest monthly account of an effort that continues to grind against one of the world’s heaviest burdens of contamination. The project, run by the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center, said the operations were part of its ongoing work to reduce explosive threats and safeguard civilians in areas scarred by conflict.

According to figures released for the period from 1 to 20 March, the teams removed 12 anti-personnel mines, 242 anti-tank mines, 3,233 items of unexploded ordnance and 13 improvised explosive devices. In addition to clearing these hazards, the teams secured 41,280 square metres of land, returning it to safe use for the communities that depend on it.

The operations were carried out across several governorates, including Aden, Al-Hudaydah, Hadramout, Hajjah and Marib. These regions continue to face significant risks from explosive contamination, which threatens local communities, disrupts agricultural activity and endangers the access routes on which the movement of people and goods depends.

The predominance of unexploded ordnance among the items cleared, accounting for the great majority of the total, points to a particular feature of Yemen’s contamination. Unexploded ordnance, comprising munitions that failed to detonate, can lie dormant for years before being disturbed, posing an unpredictable and enduring danger to anyone who encounters it unawares.

The clearance of more than 41,000 square metres of land in the space of three weeks illustrates the scale and pace of the work. Returning contaminated land to safe use is among the most important measures of demining progress, enabling communities to farm, build, travel and resettle in areas that had been rendered hazardous by the presence of explosive devices.

The distribution of operations across five governorates reflects the geographic breadth of Yemen’s contamination. From the Red Sea coast to the eastern interior, large areas of the country have been affected by mines and explosive remnants of war, and clearance efforts must range widely to address a threat that is dispersed across diverse and often difficult terrain.

The Masam project has become one of the most prominent demining initiatives in Yemen, clearing large quantities of mines and explosive devices since its launch. Its monthly reporting provides a running account of the progress of clearance, offering a measure of the effort being made against a challenge whose full dimensions remain daunting.

Anti-tank and anti-personnel mines, though fewer in number than unexploded ordnance in this period’s tally, represent especially dangerous categories of device. Anti-personnel mines are designed to kill or maim people and pose a grave threat to civilians, while anti-tank mines can destroy vehicles, endangering those who travel roads and tracks across the country.

Demining is exacting and perilous work, demanding specialised training, equipment and meticulous care. The teams that carry it out operate in dangerous conditions, methodically locating and neutralising devices while guarding their own safety, and their efforts are essential to reducing the toll that ordnance continues to exact on the population.

Yemen is regarded as one of the most heavily mined countries in the world, a legacy of years of conflict during which vast quantities of mines and explosive remnants of war were laid or left behind. Clearing this contamination is a long-term undertaking, and monthly totals such as March’s reflect steady progress against an enormous and enduring challenge.

The threat posed by mines extends well beyond the immediate danger to life and limb. Contaminated land cannot be safely used, obstructing agriculture, construction, travel and the return of displaced families, so that the clearance of ordnance is a prerequisite not only for safety but for the recovery and normal functioning of affected communities.

The human cost of landmines in Yemen has been severe, with mines and explosive remnants of war having killed and injured many civilians, including children, women and the elderly. Each device cleared represents a potential tragedy averted, and the work of demining is measured ultimately in the lives protected and the communities made safer.

The detailed reporting of figures reflects an emphasis on transparency and accountability in the delivery of demining work. Such data help demonstrate the impact of operations, inform planning and support the case for continued funding, contributing to the effective management of an effort that must be sustained over many years to come.

The scale of contamination means that demining will remain a critical task in Yemen well into the future. Even as teams clear thousands of devices each month, vast quantities are believed to remain, and events such as flooding can redistribute the danger, underscoring the enduring nature of the challenge and the continuing need for clearance and awareness efforts.

The monthly rhythm of such reports also serves a purpose beyond record-keeping. By publishing regular, detailed accounts of its work, the project helps maintain public and donor awareness of a threat that can otherwise fade from view amid the many other dimensions of Yemen’s crisis. Sustained attention is itself valuable, for the danger posed by mines does not diminish with time and the resources required to counter it depend on the continued engagement of those who fund and support the clearance effort.

For now, the clearance of 3,500 devices in March stands as a marker of the ongoing effort to rid Yemen of the explosive legacy of its conflict. As the work continues across the affected governorates, the steady progress of demining teams contributes to the safety of civilians and to the broader task of enabling communities to recover and rebuild.