Landmine clearance efforts in Yemen are helping pave the way for displaced families to return home, Hajjah Governor Major General Abdulkarim Al Sunaini said during a visit to the headquarters of Project Masam in the Midi District in northwest Yemen on Saturday.
Major General Al Sunaini met with Ousama Algosaibi, Project Masam’s Managing Director, where he was briefed on the progress of survey and clearance operations currently underway in Midi and surrounding areas.
The visit was attended by Deputy Governor Sheikh Nasser, Director General of the Midi Directorate Brigadier General Ali Siraj, and Lieutenant Colonel Amin Tihan, Director of the Fifth Military Region Commander’s Office. Project officials provided an overview of ongoing humanitarian mine action activities and the challenges posed by extensive contamination in the area.
During the visit, the Governor expressed his deep appreciation to the government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, for their continued support of Project Masam’s humanitarian mine clearance operations. He noted that this support has played a vital role in saving the lives of millions of Yemenis and in strengthening security and stability across several governorates.
Major General Al Sunaini praised Masam’s humanitarian role and its sustained efforts to protect civilians and restore normal life in liberated districts. He said that landmine clearance operations have renewed hope among displaced residents, enabling many families to consider returning to their homes and agricultural land after years of forced displacement.
He explained that widespread displacement in Hajjah and other governorates was driven by the extensive planting of landmines and improvised explosive devices by Houthi militias, which created severe humanitarian conditions and prevented civilians from safely accessing their land, infrastructure, and livelihoods.
For his part, Algosaibi welcomed the visit by the leadership of the local authorities in Hajjah Governorate and reaffirmed Project Masam’s commitment to continuing its humanitarian mission. He stressed that the project will continue its work until Yemeni land is cleared of landmines and explosive remnants of war, with the aim of protecting civilians, saving lives, and creating a safe environment that allows communities to resume daily life without fear or anxiety.
