By Faisal Abu Bakr | 2026-03-12

The Masam demining project continues its critical mission to clear Yemeni territory of landmines, despite ongoing operational and security threats.

This vital effort is driven by the goal of enhancing civilian safety and finally achieving a mine-free Yemen.

Experts said that the Houthis' actions in Yemen -- targeting infrastructure, laying mines, economic sabotage, and restricting aid -- exacerbate civilian suffering and regional instability.

MASAM, affiliated with the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center, has acted as a critical counter weight, successfully removing 8,447 landmines in February 2026 alone.

This brings the total number of mines cleared since the project's launch in mid-2018 to 545,952.

Houthi landmines indiscriminately planted across Yemen threaten civilian lives, especially children, women, and the elderly, and spread widespread fear among the population.

A silent humanitarian catastrophe

The landmine crisis in Yemen stands as one of the most devastating, yet silent, humanitarian disasters -- a lethal legacy of years of devastating war.

"Vast areas of agricultural land and rural roads are now dangerous zones, threatening the lives of residents and preventing thousands of families from returning home to resume their normal lives," Muhammed al-Omda, head of the Yemeni Network for Rights and Freedoms told Al-Fassel.

"Landmines are a major cause of civilian casualties and severely disrupt agriculture, transportation, and humanitarian aid. This makes demining a complex humanitarian and security challenge," he added.

The widespread presence of landmines across vast areas of the country constitutes one of the most significant operational challenges.

"Estimates indicate that more than 2.5 million landmines have been planted across the country," said Faris al-Humairi, executive director of Yemen Mine Observatory.

Defending war as 'defensive' stance

Ongoing armed conflict severely obstructs humanitarian demining, as a safe, stable environment is essential for specialized teams to work without threat.

"The continued Houthi mobilization and military preparations, for internal or cross-border attacks, are the most prominent factors actively undermining the chances for peace and stability in Yemen," al-Humairi said.

Planting landmines in civilian areas directly contradicts the Houthis' claims that their war is purely defensive.

"The use of landmines in this manner is a direct and indiscriminate targeting of civilian life, completely unrelated to military objectives," he added.

Aid routes blocked

Landmines and the persistent security risks imposed by the Houthis directly impede the delivery of critical humanitarian aid to those most in need.

Many aid routes have been cut off, severely exacerbating the suffering of a population already in desperate need of support.

"The Houthis' regional interventions have transformed Yemen into a launchpad for cross-border missiles and drones, importing regional conflicts and turning the country into a proxy war zone," al-Humairi said.

Yemenis demand not only an end to the war, but the complete removal of its destructive vestiges.