Project Masam’s Managing Director Ousama Algosaibi said in a phone interview with Yemen-based Aden Satellite Channel that since the end of June 2018 up until now, Masam’s engineering teams have destroyed more than 376,000 landmines, unexploded ordnance, and explosive devices, which he said it not only a great achievement in Yemen, but also on an international level.
Algosaibi added during the interview that the project’s 32 teams are spread in all the liberated areas in which the teams travel to safely – starting from Al Jawf, Shabwa, Bayhan, Usaylan, al-Bayda, Aden, and along the western coast to Ad Durayhimi District.
According to Algosaibi, 85% of the mines removed by Masam’s demining teams were locally manufactured. Yet, he said, it is noteworthy that the locally-manufactured mines removed in 2018 were completely different from those currently being removed by the engineering teams.
The managing director added further that the Houthis militia has developed mines which have become bigger and more sensitive; and are planted everywhere so that they target more people.
Regarding the maps of the minefields planted by the militias, Algosaibi said that no one has had access to the maps of landmines which have been densely and randomly planted everywhere in the country.
Algosaibi lauded the great cooperation with the National Mine Action in Yemen (YEMAC) and praised the Yemeni government’s support of the Project’s field teams.
As to the sacrifices made so far by the Masam teams, Algosaibi said that 33 team members have lost their lives while 58 others were injured during their humanitarian landmine clearance operations to save the lives of innocent civilians.
