<\/p>\n
A new explosive threat<\/strong><\/h4>\nBefore the Houthis rebels took over Yemen, all the mines in Yemen were identified and known, according to the mine action expert.<\/p>\n
\u201cToday, 80% to 85% of what we clear<\/a> – the mines, rockmines and improvised explosive devices – is [linked] to Al Houthi, manufactured by Al Houthi and locally made with technology imported from outside Yemen.<\/p>\n\u201cIt is no longer the same issue it used to be: it is a totally new threat. It\u2019s a very large number of improvised explosive devices that have been manufactured by Al Houthi, that are very advanced using technology that was imported from outside Yemen<\/a> or smuggled from outside Yemen.<\/p>\n\u201cThe anti-tank and anti-personnel mines that we are finding in Yemen are all Al Houthi manufactured \u2013 they are no longer the old mines that were existing in Yemen prior to this war.\u201d<\/p>\n
In Algosaibi\u2019s opinion, it is near impossible to put a figure on how long it would take for Yemen for be declared mine-free.<\/p>\n
\u201cUntil peace takes place in Yemen, until the information about mines actually becomes available for people to start working on, I think it\u2019ll take many, many years to come before Yemen becomes free of mines.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n
Plague extends to large parts of Yemen<\/strong><\/h4>\n\u00a0<\/strong>According to Algosaibi, a leading figure of the forefront of international mine action since 1991, Yemen today can be classified in different zones.<\/p>\n\u201cAl Jawf used to be very highly contaminated. Taiz is extremely contaminated, the West Coast is highly contaminated. Areas that have been liberated recently are also highly contaminated. But you cannot say that one area has more contamination than another, because we are finding [items] on a daily basis in most of the areas.\u201d<\/p>\n
Elswhere, Shabwah, Bayhan and Usaylan were nearly declared free from mines after working for three continuous years in these areas.<\/p>\n
\u201cAfter Al Houthi [re-]entered Shabwah and before they were [driven] out of Shabwah again and we went back in, the number of landmines we found in the first three months of work was more than everything we had found in the past three years.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Houthi has the capacity of manufacturing and the capacity of laying mines extremely fast. We have found bigger mines in Shabwah than we have ever seen before in Yemen. We have never seen that before.”<\/em><\/p>\nHe added: \u201cThe problem is that we don\u2019t know what is in the land and in the areas that are still controlled by Al Houthi – parts of Shabwah are still controlled by the Houthis and we have no idea what has been planted in there.<\/p>\n
In the West Coast, in Taiz and other liberated areas, Project Masam\u2019s deminers continue to find mines and explosive devices on a daily basis.<\/p>\n
\u201cI have always given a figure between one and two million mines or explosive devices planted in Yemen<\/a>, but this figure is based on what we are finding and what we hear from other players in the field are finding. Nobody will know the exact number until the last mine is cleared in Yemen.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n
Yemen\u2019s unique landmine situation<\/strong><\/h4>\nAsked whether an analogy could be drawn between South Lebanon and Yemen, Algosaibi explained South Lebanon was under Israeli control for over 20 years when landmines were planted.<\/p>\n
After the Israelis withdrew from South Lebanon, they handed over the files that contained information, grid references, descriptions of minefields that they had planted in South Lebanon to the United Nations, which handed it over to the project Algosaibi was coordinating so they could work using that information.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe minefields in Lebanon were mostly anti-personnel mines (the Israeli Number 4 mines), their minefields were fenced, there were warning signs on those fences, so the work was different. It was military-style mines that were laid over there, in military pattern that is easier to work with: they were not randomly spread all over the place.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn Yemen, there are no maps, no information, absolutely no one in Yemen has seen a map or coordinates of minefields or fenced minefields or a warning sign of a minefield that Al Houthi have planted in Yemen.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo, there is a big difference between South Lebanon and Yemen today.\u201d<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.projectmasam.com\/eng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Screen-Shot-2023-10-13-at-11.07.16.png\")
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Impact of peace talks on mine action<\/strong><\/h4>\nFollowing the Saudi-Iranian rapprochement, and the direct Houthi-Saudi talks, Omar asked Algosaibi whether a political peace deal agreement would have an impact on mine action in Yemen.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think it is a great plus to have a proper talk with the Iranian side,\u201d the managing director replied, referring to Iran\u2019s alleged financial, military and technological support to the Houthis.<\/p>\n
\u201cI am non-political but I talk from our own interest. I hope that these talks, this coordination and agreements between the two countries will one day lead to Al Houthi actually handing over the information that has to do with mine and improvised explosive devices that they have manufactured and planted in Yemen.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\u201cNothing has been done so far. The Houthis have signed the Stockholm Agreement<\/a> and they talked about handing over information about mines but that still hasn\u2019t happened either.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n
International community needs to act<\/strong><\/h4>\nHighlighting the local and global collective responsibility of the actors in the Yemen war as well as the international community, Algosaibi claimed not enough has been done to stop the planting of landmines<\/a> and nothing has been done to hold accountable those responsible for these human rights abuses.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is no longer the same issue it used to be: it is a totally new threat. It\u2019s a very large number of improvised explosive devices that have been manufactured by Al Houthi, that are very advanced using technology that was imported from outside Yemen<\/a> or smuggled from outside Yemen.<\/p>\n \u201cThe anti-tank and anti-personnel mines that we are finding in Yemen are all Al Houthi manufactured \u2013 they are no longer the old mines that were existing in Yemen prior to this war.\u201d<\/p>\n In Algosaibi\u2019s opinion, it is near impossible to put a figure on how long it would take for Yemen for be declared mine-free.<\/p>\n \u201cUntil peace takes place in Yemen, until the information about mines actually becomes available for people to start working on, I think it\u2019ll take many, many years to come before Yemen becomes free of mines.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u00a0<\/strong>According to Algosaibi, a leading figure of the forefront of international mine action since 1991, Yemen today can be classified in different zones.<\/p>\n \u201cAl Jawf used to be very highly contaminated. Taiz is extremely contaminated, the West Coast is highly contaminated. Areas that have been liberated recently are also highly contaminated. But you cannot say that one area has more contamination than another, because we are finding [items] on a daily basis in most of the areas.\u201d<\/p>\n Elswhere, Shabwah, Bayhan and Usaylan were nearly declared free from mines after working for three continuous years in these areas.<\/p>\n \u201cAfter Al Houthi [re-]entered Shabwah and before they were [driven] out of Shabwah again and we went back in, the number of landmines we found in the first three months of work was more than everything we had found in the past three years.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe Houthi has the capacity of manufacturing and the capacity of laying mines extremely fast. We have found bigger mines in Shabwah than we have ever seen before in Yemen. We have never seen that before.”<\/em><\/p>\n He added: \u201cThe problem is that we don\u2019t know what is in the land and in the areas that are still controlled by Al Houthi – parts of Shabwah are still controlled by the Houthis and we have no idea what has been planted in there.<\/p>\n In the West Coast, in Taiz and other liberated areas, Project Masam\u2019s deminers continue to find mines and explosive devices on a daily basis.<\/p>\n \u201cI have always given a figure between one and two million mines or explosive devices planted in Yemen<\/a>, but this figure is based on what we are finding and what we hear from other players in the field are finding. Nobody will know the exact number until the last mine is cleared in Yemen.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Asked whether an analogy could be drawn between South Lebanon and Yemen, Algosaibi explained South Lebanon was under Israeli control for over 20 years when landmines were planted.<\/p>\n After the Israelis withdrew from South Lebanon, they handed over the files that contained information, grid references, descriptions of minefields that they had planted in South Lebanon to the United Nations, which handed it over to the project Algosaibi was coordinating so they could work using that information.<\/p>\n \u201cThe minefields in Lebanon were mostly anti-personnel mines (the Israeli Number 4 mines), their minefields were fenced, there were warning signs on those fences, so the work was different. It was military-style mines that were laid over there, in military pattern that is easier to work with: they were not randomly spread all over the place.<\/p>\n \u201cIn Yemen, there are no maps, no information, absolutely no one in Yemen has seen a map or coordinates of minefields or fenced minefields or a warning sign of a minefield that Al Houthi have planted in Yemen.<\/p>\n \u201cSo, there is a big difference between South Lebanon and Yemen today.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Following the Saudi-Iranian rapprochement, and the direct Houthi-Saudi talks, Omar asked Algosaibi whether a political peace deal agreement would have an impact on mine action in Yemen.<\/p>\n \u201cI think it is a great plus to have a proper talk with the Iranian side,\u201d the managing director replied, referring to Iran\u2019s alleged financial, military and technological support to the Houthis.<\/p>\n \u201cI am non-political but I talk from our own interest. I hope that these talks, this coordination and agreements between the two countries will one day lead to Al Houthi actually handing over the information that has to do with mine and improvised explosive devices that they have manufactured and planted in Yemen.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cNothing has been done so far. The Houthis have signed the Stockholm Agreement<\/a> and they talked about handing over information about mines but that still hasn\u2019t happened either.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Highlighting the local and global collective responsibility of the actors in the Yemen war as well as the international community, Algosaibi claimed not enough has been done to stop the planting of landmines<\/a> and nothing has been done to hold accountable those responsible for these human rights abuses.<\/p>\nPlague extends to large parts of Yemen<\/strong><\/h4>\n
Yemen\u2019s unique landmine situation<\/strong><\/h4>\n
<\/p>\nImpact of peace talks on mine action<\/strong><\/h4>\n
International community needs to act<\/strong><\/h4>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.projectmasam.com\/eng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Screen-Shot-2023-10-13-at-09.28.15.png\")
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"