The United Nations has warned of the dangers posed by mines planted by the Houthi group in Yemen, calling on the international community to provide the necessary support for their removal and to restore life across all regions of the country. Charles Frisby, the UN’s mine action advisor at the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS), during his visit to the headquarters of the “Masam” project for landmine clearance in Marib, said, “Yemen is facing a real disaster with mines, explosive devices, and remnants of war. Everyone must stand with the Yemeni people to eliminate these hazards and restore life to all areas of the country.”
During the visit, the UN advisor listened to explanations from the “Masam” operations director in Marib about the mechanisms and methods used by the project. He also reviewed examples of smart and camouflaged mines that have been removed by project teams spread across nine Yemeni provinces, and the methods followed in destroying these mines to ensure a safe environment for all Yemenis.
Charles Frisby praised the role of the “Masam” project and the achievements it has made over the past years, and its significant contribution to saving Yemenis, and removing mines and war remnants planted by the Houthi group.
The “Houthi” group has turned Yemen into the world’s largest minefield by planting about two million mines, according to a statement previously made by the U.S. Embassy in Yemen, noting that removing all mines would take eight years.
The mines planted by the Houthis have caused thousands of civilian casualties, particularly among children and women. Despite the risks they face, “Masam” project teams have, since the project’s inception in 2018, removed more than 435,000 mines randomly planted by the Houthis in various provinces.
In related news, a Yemeni observatory specialized in documenting victims and the effects of war remnants reported more than 100 civilian casualties, mostly children and women, as a result of landmine accidents planted by the Houthi group in the first quarter of 2024. The Yemeni Mine Observatory stated that its field teams recorded and documented 105 civilian casualties, both killed and injured, mostly children and women, due to explosions of mines and projectiles from war remnants during the period from January 1 to April 4, 2024.
In another context, 8 civilians, including children and women, were killed and injured in a shelling by the Houthis yesterday in the “Al-Shaqb” area of “Sabr Al-Mawadim” district, southwest of the city of Taiz. Local sources reported that the shell killed a man and two children and injured five others, all women and children, in the village of “Habur,” and the injured were taken to hospitals for treatment.