Project Masam has announced that its demining teams have now located and destroyed 519,824 explosive devices in Yemen’s liberated areas since the project began in mid-2018.
Since the conflict escalated in 2014 between Yemen’s pro-government forces and Houthi militias, vast areas of the country have been heavily contaminated with mines, UXO, and other remnants of war. Strategic regions remain severely affected, with estimates suggesting that the Houthis have planted between one and two million mines nationwide.
The cumulative total includes 6,922 anti-personnel mines, 147,552 anti-tank mines, 357,065 items of unexploded ordnance (UXO), and 8,285 improvised explosive devices (IEDs). Over this period, clearance operations have made 71,717,167 square metres of land safe for civilian use.
During the most recent reporting week, spanning 11-17 October 2025, Masam teams removed 1,191 explosive devices, including five anti-personnel mines, 49 anti-tank mines, 1,135 UXO, and two IEDs. In the same period, clearance operations covered 266,159 square metres of land.
So far in October 2025, Masam teams have cleared 3,325 explosive devices and made 805,029 square metres of land safe, reflecting the project’s sustained commitment to protecting civilians and enabling Yemen’s recovery through humanitarian mine action.
Project Masam continues to prioritise its mission of clearing mines from civilian areas, including villages, roads, schools, and key infrastructure, to allow safer movement for families and aid workers.
It is estimated that up to five million Yemenis have been displaced since the start of the war, many forced from their homes by the widespread presence of landmines and explosive remnants of war. Seasonal sand and dust storms in recent weeks have added to the danger, reducing visibility and increasing the risk of accidental encounters with mines, particularly in areas where clearance is still underway.
For regular updates on Project Masam’s life-saving operations and expert insights into humanitarian mine action, follow the project on Twitter and LinkedIn.
