Saudi Program Clears 896 Landmines in Yemen
Saudi Arabia’s ongoing program to clear landmines in Yemen has successfully dismantled 896 devices laid by the Iran-backed Houthis in the second week of May. The King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center oversaw the project, known as Masam, which destroyed 11 anti-personnel mines, 156 anti-tank mines, 728 unexploded ordnance, and one explosive device. The initiative is one of several undertaken by Saudi Arabia to help the Yemeni people, and has cleared routes for the delivery of much-needed humanitarian aid. The demining operations took place in various regions across Yemen, including Marib, Aden, Jouf, Shabwa, Taiz, Hodeidah, Lahij, Sanaa, Al-Bayda, Al-Dhale, and Saada. Since the start of the project, a total of 398,110 mines have been cleared. The project also trains local demining engineers and provides them with modern equipment, as well as offering support to Yemenis injured by the devices. In June 2022, the project’s contract was extended for another year at a cost of $33.29 million.