Abdullah Fayedi and his family were forced to flee their village when fighting erupted during Yemen’s long conflict. Like thousands of others, they spent years displaced inside the country, moving from one temporary shelter to another as the war destroyed homes, farms, and livelihoods.
After many years of displacement, Abdullah finally returned to his liberated village. He longed to live safely again in his home and to work his farm with his family by his side.
For years, he had waited for this moment, believing that coming back would bring comfort, happiness, and the chance to rebuild the life he had lost. Abdullah was certain that returning home would end the pain and hardship he had endured during his years of displacement.
At first, it seemed as though his dreams were coming true. He began to rebuild his life, hoping for stability and a peaceful future. But everything he had hoped for was shattered in an instant by the hidden danger of landmines.
Across Yemen, Houthi forces have laid vast numbers of landmines and improvised explosive devices in farms, roads, and villages, leaving behind deadly hazards that continue to kill and injure civilians long after active fighting has ended.
Those who planted these deadly devices denied Abdullah and his family the safety they had been waiting for. Instead of peace, they returned to a village filled with silent killers buried beneath the soil. Their presence turned daily life into a constant threat.
In the agricultural fields around Abdullah’s home, Houthi forces had scattered dozens of landmines and explosive devices. One of their victims was Abdullah’s 14-year-old daughter, Tahani. On January 21, 2020, a mine exploded while she was gathering firewood on the family farm with her cousins in Bani Fayed locality, Midi District, north of Hajjah governorate.
Abdullah shared his grief with Project Masam: “The horrors of war forced us to flee our homes. When the fighting ended, we came back, hoping to live peacefully on our land. Instead, we found it filled with mines. I lost my beloved daughter, Tahani, when a mine exploded under her feet, killing her instantly. And she was not the first victim. From the same household, I later lost my brother, my nephew, and my niece to another mine. Recently, another villager lost his legs. In our region, lives are constantly claimed by these mines, sparing neither people nor livestock.”
He continued: “We are suffering greatly because of mines, and we appeal to Project Masam to clear our lands of these deadly devices. We need this to stop the ongoing loss of innocent lives.”
Like many families in northern Hajjah, Abdullah and his loved ones live with deep wounds – both physical and emotional. The mines have stolen their sense of safety and torn away family members, leaving grief and fear in their place.
For now, the hope for lasting safety depends on the humanitarian mission of Project Masam, Abdullah said. Its skilled teams, advanced equipment, and strong determination are working to clear these hidden explosives, giving families like Abdullah’s a chance to reclaim their land and their future.
