Project Masam has destroyed and detonated 289 landmines, explosive devices, and unexploded shells in Wadi Dhahaba, Ain District, in Yemen’s Shabwah Governorate.
Shabwah became a battleground in 2015 between Houthi militias and army units supporting of Ali Abdullah Saleh, and army units and militias loyal to Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi, the country’s president between 2012 and 2022. During the campaign, Houthis extensively and indiscriminately planted landmines across the region, including “larger than ever seen” anti-tank landmines.
The bulk demolition operation included 210 anti-tank mines, 30 anti-personnel mines, 42 unexploded shells, in addition to seven explosive devices.
In a statement, Brigadier General Amin Al-Aqili, Director of Yemen Executive Mine Action Centre (YEMAC), confirmed that this operation is one of a series of operations carried out by Project Masam in several Yemeni governorates, with the aim of getting rid of all mines and war remnants as well as ensuring that these potentially deadlyare not be used again by any party.
Al-Aqili explained that it is Project Masam’s 195th mass demolition operation, and it was successfully implemented by a team specialised in collecting and destroying explosives.
