The Masam demining project continues its vital role in combating explosive devices of death that still disrupt life in Yemen, through the removal and destruction of unexploded materials by the teams of this humanitarian project, until Yemen is free of mines and safe from their evil.

In this context, the media center of the “Masam” demining project in Yemen issued its monthly report for August 2024, as this report indicated that the total number of mines, unexploded ordnance and improvised explosive devices removed in this month amounted to 4,413.

During August 2024, the project successfully removed 4,018 pieces of unexploded ordnance and 299 anti-tank mines, clearing a total of 926,082 square meters of Yemeni land. Additionally, the project destroyed 852 mines, unexploded ordnance, and improvised explosive devices during the same month.

It is noted that the total number of mines, unexploded ordnance, and improvised explosive devices removed since the launch of the Masam project at the end of June 2018 has reached 457,711, planted by the Houthi militia in a terrifyingly random manner in various Yemeni governorates. The total area cleared has reached 59,201,344 square meters since the launch of the project until today.

Honorable harvest

Out of concern for securing the lives of Yemenis from mines that are being permanently removed, the Masam Project for Mine Clearance carried out a destruction and detonation operation for 580 mines, improvised explosive devices and unexploded shells in Wadi Dhahban in Ain District, Shabwa Governorate, southeastern Yemen.

Project Masam also carried out another destruction and detonation operation for 272 shells and unexploded ordnance in the Dofas area, in the Zinjibar district of Abyan Governorate, southern Yemen.

According to the Masam Operations Room, the operation, carried out by the special missions team, included 248 worn-out unexploded shells, 3 improvised explosive devices, in addition to 14 dangerous pieces of missile remnants and 6 assorted fuses.

The destruction process took place in an area that complies with international standards for the disposal of mines, explosive devices and remnants of war, as the Doufs Valley is located far from any population centers or pastoral and agricultural areas.

Migrant mines

Team 26 of Masam added a qualitative success to the records of excellence of the Masam humanitarian project, as it succeeded in removing a number of mines and explosive devices that were swept away by the recent floods from the districts of Maqbana and Hays in the governorates of Taiz and Hodeidah.

It is noted that one of the devices was removed from the Maqbana area of ​​Taiz, while the other device and mine were extracted from Wadi Dhami in Hays district in Al Hudaydah governorate.

The commander of Team 26 Masam confirmed that this operation is part of ongoing efforts to protect civilians from the dangers of mines planted by the Houthi militia in several Yemeni regions, calling on all citizens to cooperate with the engineering teams and report any suspicious objects.

vital tasks

Team 26 Masam also managed to find explosive devices in a water well in the Dhami area of ​​Al Hudaydah Governorate.

The deputy commander of Team 26 Masam, Engineer Mohammed Alwan, said that the team received a report from the security administration of the Dhumi area, which is part of the Hays Directorate in Al Hudaydah Governorate, stating that there were explosive devices in a water well in the Dhumi area.

The report came after a farmer found a strange object while cleaning the well, prompting him to inform the security department, which in turn informed the Masam team.

Team 20 Masam also managed to secure and retrieve 4 anti-tank mines from the villages of Hejah Obeid and Al-Dhariba, in the center of Rab’a Al-Souq, in Hays District, Al-Hudaydah Governorate, western Yemen.

Achievements and praise

The Director General of Planning in Al Hudaydah Governorate, Ahmed Bourji, praised the great efforts made by the Masam Project for mine clearance, affiliated with the King Salman Center for Relief and Humanitarian Aid in Al Hudaydah Governorate, stressing that the local authority in the governorate, led by Governor Dr. Al-Hassan Taher, will spare no effort in providing all facilities to remove the mines planted by the Houthi terrorist militias.

On the other hand, the Masam project organized a training course for members of international organizations working in Marib Governorate, on the dangers of mines and unexploded ordnance that they may encounter while performing their field missions.

The project’s deputy director general, Mr. Retief Horn, explained that the course targeted members of 5 international organizations working in Marib.

The organizations targeted included International Solidarity (SI), International Relief (RI), Oxfam, the Agency for Technical Cooperation and Development (ACTED), the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), the International Organization for Migration (IOM), and the International Council of the Red Cross (ICRC).

The course aims to familiarize participants with the types of mines and dangerous munitions prevalent in Yemen, including anti-tank and anti-personnel mines, types of unexploded ordnance, and improvised explosive devices.

The course also focused on preventive measures to be taken to avoid dangerous situations and how to act if found in areas suspected of being mined.

The Masam project also organized a training course for United Nations staff in Marib Governorate, on the dangers of mines and unexploded ordnance that they may encounter while performing their field duties.

The project’s deputy director general, Retief Horn, confirmed that the course aims to familiarize participants with the types of mines and dangerous munitions spread in Yemen, including anti-tank and anti-personnel mines, types of unexploded ordnance, and improvised explosive devices.

The course focused in particular on the preventive measures that must be taken to avoid getting into dangerous situations, and how to behave if found in suspected areas or minefields.