Project Masam is pleased to announce the renewal of its life-saving operation in Yemen for a fifth year.
Through the generosity and humanitarian vision of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and its leadership, Project Masam will continue to clear landmines, unexploded ordnance (UXO) and improvised explosive devices (IED) throughout the liberated areas of Yemen.
To date Masam has cleared 133,343 landmines and 213,227 IEDs and UXO, resulting in 35,051,834 sqm of land made safe and returned for community usage and looks forward to building on this achievement throughout 2022 and into 2023.
Since 25 June 2018, when Project Masam’s operations began, the demining teams have cleared 346,570 landmines, UXO and IEDs in Marib, Aden, Al-Jawf, Shabwa, Taiz, Hodeidah, Lahij, Sanaa, Al-Bayda, Al-Dhale, and Saada (as at 17 June 2022).
Project Masam Managing Director and Programme Manager Ousama Algosaibi thanked the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and its leadership for their humanitarian vision and the contract renewal, saying:
“I join the staff, demining teams and experts in welcoming the contract renewal for Project Masam. We know just how critical our humanitarian mine clearance operations are in addressing the direct threats to the lives of civilians caused by landmines and explosive remnants of war, and safeguarding the delivery of urgent humanitarian supplies in liberated areas.
“Even after the frontlines have moved, displaced people cannot return home, as their land, grazing fields, roads, homes and schools have been contaminated by landmines and other explosive devices. The number one priority is to clear those areas, clear that land, clear those roads so that everything else can follow after that. Civilians can return home, safely, and start rebuilding Yemen.
“We are proud of the outstanding work our teams are conducting every day. We are the largest and most productive organisation on the ground coordinating with the Yemeni authorities. The number of deadly items located, retrieved and destroyed speak for themselves; and we are looking forward to continuing to help Yemenis in 2022-2023.”
Algosaibi said that, although Yemen’s warring parties have agreed to renew a nationwide truce, Masam’s demining efforts must continue as usual, to ensure civilians are relieved from the humanitarian suffering brought by the pervasive and indiscriminate use of landmines.
“We will continue to clear landmines, unexploded ordnance and improvised explosive devices throughout the liberated areas of Yemen.
“We will continue to carry out our Mine Risk Education programme across villages and settlements across Yemen to reduce the risk of injury from landmines and other remnants of war.
“We will continue to document the use of deadly (and at times banned) landmines in warfare in Yemen,” Algosaibi added.
As at 23 June 2022, Project Masam has located and destroyed 346,570 explosive devices including 5,328 banned anti-personnel mines, 128,015 anti-tank mines, 7,377 IEDs and 205,850 UXO in Yemeni liberated areas. The project reached two significant milestones in 2022, after clearing its 5,000th anti-personnel landmine and 100,000 anti-tank landmines in Yemen.
Clearance has allowed tens of thousands to return to their homes, lands and schools.
