Fifteen civilians have been killed or injured by landmines in Yemen in November 2023, according to a local organisation which identifies and reports these mines.
In Yemen, landmines and other unexploded ordnances are among the most prominent threats facing civilians across different areas of the country.
The Yemeni Observatory for Landmine Removal, which also monitors mine victims in Yemen, reported that five civilians have been killed, and another 10 injured, as a result of the explosion of Houthi-planted landmines in five separate incidents in four governorates, Al-Jawf, Al-Bayda, Taiz, and Hodeidah.
According to a report by the Yemeni Observatory for Landmine Removal, the death toll in November included four children and an elderly man, while four women and three children were injured, some with serious injuries requiring long-term care.
The organisation noted that remnants of war – including landmines – caused the destruction of and damage to three civilian vehicles and the death of some 13 heads of cattle.
Landmines: a persistent threat
Given the persistence of this situation and its consequences for civilians, the Yemeni Observatory for Landmine Removal said priorities of any upcoming talks to be held between the Yemeni parties to the conflict should include the handing over of minefield maps and other relevant information, as well as the clearance of populated areas of landmines and remnants of war, to avoid further civilian casualties.
Landmines continue to pose a grave danger to civilians, who cannot easily spot or avoid them. They are planted in populated areas, such as residential neighbourhoods, schools, farms, hospitals, and other vital facilities, and civilians live in a state of constant fear.
Despite the achievements of the demining teams of Project Masam to clear the Yemeni territory of mines – the project has cleared more than 420,000 mines, improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and UXO since the launch of the project in mid-June 2018 – landmines continue to be purchased or manufactured, and planted extensively and randomly, even in areas that were previously cleared.
To ensure civilians know and can adhere to guidelines and warning signs, Project Masam continues to educate local populations about the danger of landmines and provide them with the necessary guidance to deal with them safely.
Project Masam has also been calling for a stop to the manufacture and smuggling of landmines and other banned arms, and for a stronger system to investigate and punish those found responsible of committing these crimes.
