Project Masam’s demining team 26 has discovered a new minefield in the Al-Suwaidiya area of Al-Khawkha district, within Yemen’s Hudaydah governorate.
Conventional mine warfare dictates that all minefields must be marked and mapped, but in Yemen, Project Masam has been discovering unmarked non-conventional minefields since the project’s launch in mid-2018.
Among the dangerous remnants uncovered by team 26 was an anti-tank mine found amid vast agricultural lands, where mines were indiscriminately planted by Houthi militias.
Engineer Sami Saeed Hemad, the leader of Team 26, confirmed that the detection process is extremely challenging due to the random planting of mines. He noted that the distance between some mines can reach up to 300 metres in various directions, making the task even more complex across the expansive terrain.
This discovery follows a series of tragic incidents in Al-Khawkha, including the explosion of a landmine that killed a child and his donkey. The child’s father was also wounded by shrapnel while attempting to rescue him.
Al-Suwaidiya remains one of the most heavily affected areas in the Al-Khawkha district, plagued by a wide and random spread of explosive remnants of war. The contamination has transformed vital farmland into hazardous zones, posing daily risks to civilians.
Despite the significant progress made by Project Masam deminers in clearing large swaths of land, ongoing detection operations highlight the scale of the humanitarian catastrophe left behind by the militias. Repeated injuries and recent fatalities, such as the tragic incident involving the child and his father, underscore the urgent need for continued demining efforts.
