A new report from the Yemeni Ministry of Interior has highlighted Project Masam’s humanitarian landmine clearance efforts in Yemen, describing the work undergone to remove landmines, improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and other unexploded remnants of war as “critical”.
Published on the ministry’s website on 31 July and compiled by Security Media, the translated Arabic report read:
“Masam Landmine Clearance Project – Yemen: A Critical Humanitarian Effort
The mines planted by the terrorist Houthi militias have created a severe and immediate danger affecting Yemeni populations across various regions, including Marib, Shabwah, Al Baydah, Abyan, Al Dhale, Lahj, Taiz, and Al Hudaydah.
This threat impacts women, children, and the elderly daily, resulting in numerous deaths and disabilities. The dangers extend to animals as well. The Houthi militias have extensively and indiscriminately planted these mines using various deceptive methods, inflicting widespread harm in a senseless conflict against Yemen’s land and its people. This has led to tragic losses of innocent lives, severe injuries, and harrowing human suffering.
Amid this Houthi-induced chaos, which has turned death into a weapon, there is a beacon of hope driven by human compassion: the relentless efforts to clear the land of these deadly mines. This courageous work faces numerous dangers and challenges but is essential for restoring life and safety to affected areas.
Security Media conducted a field visit to the Project Masam Demining Programme to highlight these vital humanitarian efforts, funded and overseen by the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief). The visit aimed to showcase the significant humanitarian work the programme carries out to remove mines and to understand the scale and impact of the mine crisis.
Initially, we spoke with Mr. Retief Horn, the Deputy Managing Director of Project Masam. He emphasised that landmines pose a grave threat to the safety, security, and stability of communities. He noted that removing these mines is a crucial humanitarian effort that not only mitigates danger but also helps restore normalcy to affected areas.
The Masam landmine clearance programme, which began seven years ago, operates continuously across all liberated governorates. Despite the inherent risks, the program has achieved significant success. Over the past seven years, Project Masam teams have safely removed 451,908 mines, unexploded items, and explosive devices from various governorates, including Marib, Shabwah, Al-Dhale, Abyan, Lahj, Taiz, and Hudaydah. These teams are highly trained and have gained extensive experience in handling and clearing mines in diverse conditions and locations.
Sacrifices Made: Martyrs and Injured in the Landmine Clearance Effort
The Executive Director of the programme highlighted that during its humanitarian mission in Yemen, Project Masam has faced the loss of many lives and sustained injuries. Specifically, 32 demining experts, both Yemeni and foreigners were killed, while 42 others have suffered injuries resulting in permanent disabilities. Despite these tragic losses and ongoing dangers, these sacrifices have fuelled the determination of the project’s staff to persist in their mission until Yemen is fully cleared of landmines.
Innovative Methods in Mine Laying
He added that the Houthi militias have deployed vast quantities of landmines across extensive areas and developed new techniques for planting them. These methods include the production of local anti-personnel mines and heavy anti-tank mines, as well as various explosive devices and IEDs camouflaged as ordinary rocks. They have also tailored their techniques to suit specific locations, employing triggers such as trip wires, electrical circuits, or infrared/thermal sensors.
Additionally, they have adapted heavy anti-tank and anti-armoured vehicle mines into anti-personnel mines by adding pressure plates that trigger an explosion with the weight of a light object (up to 8 kilogrammes) or by placing explosive elements beneath the mines. This [anti-lift] mechanism ensures that if demining teams attempt to remove the mine, the hidden explosive will detonate, causing injury or death to those involved or anyone who interferes with the mine.
Migrated Mines
He explained that demining teams face significant challenges, including the lack of maps for the mines planted indiscriminately by the Houthi terrorist militias. Additionally, during the rainy season, torrential rains can displace mines from their original locations to areas previously considered safe. These are referred to as “migrated mines,” and pose a serious risk to civilians who may pass through these now-dangerous areas. Mr. Horn emphasised that the programme remains committed to its humanitarian mission, which includes removing mines and explosives, as well as conducting awareness and training activities. The goal is to clear Yemen of this threat so that its civilians can feel secure from these dangers.
Minefield Hazard
Engineer Abdul Karim Ali Al-Joufi, leader of Project Masam’s demining Team 13, highlighted that demining work is fraught with significant risks and challenges that demand skill, precision, vigilance, knowledge, and ongoing training. There are often uncontrollable factors that demining teams might encounter. For instance, he recounted an incident where the team, responding to a report of a minefield in a remote area, unexpectedly entered another, previously unknown minefield. This unanticipated danger posed a serious threat to the team’s safety. Despite the challenges of spatial distance and mobility, the team overcame these obstacles through their experience, determination, and commitment to their mission.
Experience and Determination: Continuing the Mission
He added that the practical experience and ongoing training have equipped the demining teams with advanced skills in demining, enabling them to effectively handle and identify the techniques used by the Houthi militias in planting mines. This expertise has allowed the teams to overcome the initial challenges and obstacles they faced at the project’s inception. He explained that the field teams operate with patience, determination, and unwavering support from the programme’s management, working tirelessly to rid Yemen of this threat that has severely impacted the lives, mobility, and safety of its people. While the methods of mine planting by the Houthi militias have become more recognisable and manageable, they still pose a significant danger to both civilians and animals due to their indiscriminate placement, large quantities, and varied techniques.
The Media’s Crucial Role in Mine Risk Education
Mr. Walid Al-Jaouli, media officer for the project, emphasised the media’s critical role in educating the public about the dangers of mines and how to avoid them. He highlighted that media efforts are as vital as demining activities, with the programme’s media department prioritising effective awareness campaigns. They have produced and broadcast compelling content that showcases humanitarian stories and the efforts involved in mine clearance, mine-impacted victims of all ages, particularly women and children, and generate impact stories within communities. To address this, significant efforts have been made through visual, print, and audio media, as well as various social media platforms, to reach the broadest audience and raise awareness about mine risks.
Invitation for Media Partnership in Awareness Campaign
Al-Jaouli added that the media plays a crucial role in supporting demining efforts and minimising associated losses. By effectively communicating with civilians, the media helps them avoid minefields and instructs them on how to handle and report found mines or explosive objects. Educating the public on not tampering with these hazards is vital, as civilian involvement is key in reporting mines and ensuring safety. He emphasised the importance of engaging all forms of media—visual, audio, print, and social—in creating a genuine community partnership in the fight against the menace of mines, leveraging each medium’s unique capabilities.”
