Explosive remnants of war (ERW) present a continuing risk to children across Yemen.
ERW include landmines and other unexploded ordnance (UXO) such as unexploded shells, hand grenades or bombs.
Khurais Saleh Ra’eidan, 13, who lives in the Sweida internally displaced persons (IDP) camp in Marib governorate, shared his story and warned other children living in the camp, urging them not to touch any strange objects or even approach them.
This comes after Khurais was injured in the explosion of an exploded shell, which caused serious injuries in his hand and left leg. The teenager is still receiving medical treatment for his injuries, after being transferred to the Specialised Medical Centre in Marib.
“On Sunday, 10 December 2023, after I finished one of the first semester exams, I was on my way back home and when I approached the Sweida camp, I stumbled on an iron bar which I took in my hand to play with. I repeatedly hit it on a stone, and suddenly it exploded in my right hand, tearing my fingers and injuring my left leg. I didn’t realise it was a projectile,” the young boy told Project Masam.
Saqr Ra’eidan, Khurais’s brother, explained: “I was shocked to hear that my brother was injured after returning from school: he miraculously escaped death after the projectile exploded in his hand.”
The incident prompted Saqr to appeal to the local authorities to demand they carry out comprehensive awareness campaigns for IDPs in camps and other areas of Marib governorate, emphasising the importance of avoiding unidentified and suspicious objects, and refraining from tampering or even approaching them, to protect the lives of children and ensure their safety against any danger or threat they may face.
In Yemen’s western province of Hodeidah, local sources confirmed that a child was injured Wednesday (13 December 2023) by an explosive object in Hays, south of Hodeidah province.
According to these sources, 14-year-old Omar Muhammad Yahya Ki’el, from the village of Al-Sab’a Al-Ulya, found an object while tending his sheep near a frontline area. The object exploded while he was playing with it, which led to the amputation of his left hand.
Children, who are more vulnerable, naturally curious and often lack knowledge of the risks, are a key risk group. They usually mistake ERW for attractive toys or objects worth exploring.
To avoid further tragedies, Project Masam intensified its efforts in populated areas and displacement camps in particular.
The project has assigned a demining team with the task of securing the Al-Sweida camp in Marib and implementing an awareness campaign targeting all those living in the camp, including children. Awareness leaflets containing pictures of the different types of mines and UXO, as well as ways to avoid them and the importance of reporting them have been distributed across the camp.
Since its launch in mid-2018, Project Masam’s demining teams have managed to secure large areas in various Yemeni governorates, and so far, more than 424,000 mines, improvised explosive devices (IEDs), and unexploded shells have been removed.
Project Masam continues its mission to rid Yemen of ERW to ensure it is a safe environment for the reconstruction and development.
