KSrelief’s MASAM Project Deactivates More Than 200,000 Explosive Devices in Yemen

RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA: Since the start of the conflict in Yemen, armed Houthi militia groups have committed numerous acts of violence against ordinary Yemenis; one of the deadliest of these has been the indiscriminate planting of land mines and other explosive devices in several parts of the country. In 2018, King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre (KSrelief) launched a land mine clearance project, MASAM, to address this serious, life-threatening situation.

The MASAM project is an impartial humanitarian initiative to save and improve the lives of the Yemeni people by eliminating the public threat posed by these devices, and to help the country address this threat over the longer term. In February 2018, MASAM’s preparatory phase began with the transportation into Yemen of land mine clearance devices and equipment, and the training of teams of engineers and other cadres to begin to locate, remove and deactivate the more than one million explosive devices planted in the country. In July 2018, after this initial four-month preparatory phase, the implementation of the MASAM project was officially announced. Some 32 engineering teams and 5 rapid-intervention teams were deployed to the project’s headquarters in the Ma'rib governorate. The training of Yemeni cadres in demining techniques began right away, establishing the foundation for a sustainable demining program which would continue in the future after the completion of the project.

In early 2020, an additional MASAM office was opened in the Aden governorate to enable the direct supervision and monitoring of the teams’ operations in Yemen’s west-coast districts. MASAM teams use the latest in advanced demining technologies and equipment, with 451 specialists, including 24 international experts, 6 Saudi experts and 421 Yemeni employees working as deminers and as administrative, logistical, operational and media staff.

MASAM teams are working in nine Yemeni governorates: Ma'rib, Al-Jawf, Shabwah, Taiz, Al Hudaydah, Lahij, Al Bayda', Ad Dali, and Sa’ada. Through the fifth week of March 2021, these dedicated teams have succeeded in clearing 230.592 mines during the first 36 months of the project.

MASAM’s activities are not limited to the process of removing and deactivating mines and other explosive devices, but also focus on the regular destruction of these devices to ensure that they are not used again by any party. Day after day, MASAM continues to lessen the impact of this deadly manifestation of the ongoing armed conflict on the Yemeni public.

MASAM demining experts who have selflessly devoted themselves to this dangerous occupation have not been spared from the deadly effects of these devices. To date, 21 MASAM team members have lost their lives in the line of duty, including five international experts; 16 others have been severely injured, some of whom are now permanently disabled. Despite the difficulties and complexities of the process of mine clearance, MASAM teams are dedicated to protecting the people of Yemen from the threat of landmines and other explosive devices. Their dedication enables Yemenis to eventually return to their homes, schools, farms, and streets, free of the previously unrelenting fear of encountering these deadly devices while going about their daily lives.

Although there are no official updated statistics on the number of landmine victims in Yemen, in part due to their constantly increasing numbers, human rights reports suggest that the number of the victims of Houthi landmines exceeds the tens of thousands – the vast majority of whom are women and children.  Taiz is at the top of the list in terms of the highest numbers of land mines and victims in a single governorate, followed by Al Hudaydah and Al Jawf.

According to international reports, Yemen is the country in the Middle East most strongly affected by the presence of land mines; indeed, Yemen tops the list globally, with the highest incidence of land mine explosions which pose a constant threat to civilian lives. This situation is solely due to the illegal and violent actions committed by Houthi militias in complete disregard for the lives and safety of millions of people.

Land mines impede the ability of humanitarian workers to reach vulnerable communities with urgently needed aid and assistance, putting thousands at risk from lack of food, medical care and other vital services. Devices planted in public spaces, including on agricultural lands, in villages, wells and roads, expose civilians to the constant daily threat of death and disability, creating a situation in which innocent citizens live in constant fear. Farmers’ crops are at risk of being damaged or destroyed, and thousands of civilians may not have access to clean water due to the presence of these devices. Mines planted by these armed militias have even been found in schools and health care centers. In short, normal life in many parts of Yemen has been made impossible, and thousands of Yemeni families have been forced to abandon their homes and farms to flee to safer areas, creating the additional hardships which arise from economic instability and displacement.

MASAM is just one of the vital projects being implemented in Yemen by KSrelief on behalf of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to provide impartial, multisectoral assistance to address the country’s ongoing humanitarian crisis. Since its inception almost six years ago, the center has implemented more than 570 programs and projects across Yemen, alleviating the suffering of millions of people in need.