Project Masam has reached a significant milestone after clearing its 300,000th landmine and unexploded ordnance in Yemen.
Operating since mid-2018, Masam currently has 32 teams working in liberated areas across the country and conducts humanitarian clearance in accordance with priorities set by the Yemeni National Authority.
On 1 January 2022, Managing Director and Programme Manager Ousama Algosaibi announced the teams had cleared a total of 300,852 landmines and explosive remnants of war.
“Reaching this point is a huge milestone for Masam and for Yemenis affected or displaced by the presence of landmines, but there is still a lot of work left to do to ensure Yemen is made safe again,” Algosaibi said.
“Upon reaching such a landmark, it is important to reflect on the achievements of the demining teams operating amid the moving battlegrounds, and how we can continue to support Yemenis going forward.”
By clearing 4,282 anti-personnel mines, 102,477 anti-tank mines, 187,855 unexploded ordnance (UXO) and 6,238 improvised explosive devices (IEDs), Masam has allowed civilians to return to their homes and lands, and resume their lives after spending years forcibly displaced.
The news came days after Masam reached another significant milestone, having cleared 100,000 anti-tank landmines in Yemen since the start of the project in mid-2018.
