An official delegation from the Yemeni Ministry of Defense, the Armed Forces General Staff, and Deputy Governors of several governorates visited Project Masam’s headquarters today.
During the visit, the delegation praised the project’s vital humanitarian role in clearing Yemeni territory of landmines and explosive devices planted by the Houthi militia, and which continue to pose a deadly threat to innocent civilians.
The delegation emphasised the importance of continuing this life-saving Saudi-funded initiative, highlighting its critical contribution to protecting millions of lives and preventing further civilian casualties.
The delegation was led by Major General Ahmed Shamar, Advisor to the Minister of Defense, and included Brigadier General Ahmed Ali Al-Ashwal, Head of the Armed Forces’ Moral Guidance Department, along with deputy governors of Sana’a, Al-Jawf, Al-Bayda, Al-Mahwit, and Dhamar – all severely landmine-affected regions.
The delegation praised Project Masam’s achievements over the past seven years. To date, the project has successfully removed nearly half a million landmines and explosive devices, and cleared more than 66.5 million square metres of mined land across liberated areas of Yemen.
During the visit, Retief Horn, Project Masam’s Deputy Managing Director, Khalid Al-Otaibi, Assistant Managing Director, and Saudi expert Fawaz Al-Zahrani provided a detailed overview of the work carried out by the engineering teams operating across various governorates.
They also presented actual samples of mines that had been extracted by the demining teams, showcasing the extent of the Houthis ingenuity in designing these devices in a variety of shapes and forms, aimed at maximising civilian casualties – including women, children, and the elderly.
The delegation also toured a photo exhibition that depicted the devastating impact of landmines, featuring images of civilian victims and models of improvised explosive devices. Some of these devices had been specifically booby-trapped to target demining personnel – which tragically killed several demining team members in the line of duty.
Members of the delegation said Project Masam represents one of the most significant aspects of humanitarian and fraternal support extended by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, under the leadership of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz, and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and with the backing of the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre (KSRelief).
The delegation further noted that Yemen will continue to require the support of this vital humanitarian mine action initiative for many years to come – even long after the war ends – due to the vast number and widespread distribution of landmines planted indiscriminately by the Houthi militia across numerous regions.
