Sadly, in Yemen, Mossad Naji’s story is far too common.
Naji is a grandfather who lives in the Shakhb village in the Al Dala’a Governorate.
Since the beginning of Yemen’s full-blown armed conflict in December 2013, the southern province of Al Dala’a (also known as al-Dhale) has been a battleground between various separatist factions, Houthi militias and pro-government forces. The strategic province is the border between northern and southern Yemen.
The family man was injured during heavy fighting in his area when Houthi militias heavily bombed residential villages including Naji’s village of Shakhb, northwest of Qataba, causing injuries to other civilians and farmers in his area.
“I was shot in the stomach and now the shrapnel is still there,” Naji said, adding that his entire family was displaced by the conflict.
Once the frontline moved and he was able to return home, Naji found that the area had been heavily mined by Houthi militias after they had retreated.
“When I entered my home, [a landmine exploded] and my leg was amputated because of this mine,” Naji told Project Masam from his village, as he pointed to his amputated right leg.
“This entire area was mined.”
As he recovered and learned how to walk again with the help of a prosthetic leg, his family and a stick, Project Masam was called in to carry out emergency clearance of the contaminated area.
“We thank the Masam teams, who helped and cleared mines from this area. There are no threats left: they have left the area mine-free,” Naji said as he looked towards his grandchildren playing nearby.
With the help of Masam’s clearance teams, Naji and his family can walk – and live – in their village again without fear.
