Project Masam’s demining Team 28 has secured five high-impact areas littered with anti-personnel landmines in Al-Omari area, in Dhubab district in Yemen’s Taiz Governorate.
In a statement to Project Masam’s media office, the leader of Team 28 confirmed that his team had received several reports from civilians about explosions in the Ali Saeed mountains in the Al-Omari area, adding that these explosions caused damage to civilians’ sheep and livestock.
He added that before the war, these mountains were used for grazing sheep, but the Houthi militias planted them with large quantities of anti-personnel landmines.
He pointed out that Team 28 surveyed these mountains, and located and cleared anti-personnel minefields, in accordance with international standards – including recommendations and requirements for demining teams dealing with deadly mines in rugged mountainous areas.
During the past months, the team was able to secure five minefields that were rigged with anti-personnel landmines, covering an area of about 11,000 square metres, in addition to removing around 50 anti-personnel landmines.
Masoud Ali, a resident of Al-Omari, discussed the impact these anti-personnel landmines have had on his area. He told Project Masam blasts resulted in the death of two members of his tribe and the maiming of five others, who had been grazing sheep on the mountains.
Masoud added that anti-personnel mines forced many members of his tribe in Al-Omari to stop sheep grazing, despite their need for a sustainable livelihood, due to the suspected, or confirmed danger, of these deadly explosive devices.
The villager stressed that the efforts made by Team 28 contributed to improving the state of security and stability in the region. He highlighted the importance for the joint work of Project Masam and civilians to continue to completely clear the mountains of the remaining landmines, with the aim of restoring normal life and providing a safe and sustainable environment for the local communities.
