By Faisal Abu Bakr | 2026-10-18

Landmines planted by Houthi militias, with direct support from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), are inflicting unprecedented suffering upon the Yemeni people.

Even as the Saudi-backed Masam demining project works tirelessly to clear these explosive hazards, the widespread contamination of residential and agricultural areas persists.

Since 2018, this vital project has successfully neutralized over 594,000 landmines, improvised explosive devices and unexploded ordnance remnants.

Remarkably, teams cleared 7,444 explosive threats during just the first half of August, despite facing consistent danger and ongoing hostilities.

Experts argue that removing nearly 600,000 explosive devices reveals a staggering scale of humanitarian destruction and malicious intent.

These lethal weapons obstruct residents from reclaiming their homes, accessing essential water sources and cultivating the agricultural lands necessary for survival.

An endless cycle of suffering

Abdul Rahman Berman, executive director of the American Center for Justice (AFC), condemns landmines as an ongoing crime with consequences spanning several decades.

His organization’s detailed report, titled "Mines: Blind Killer," warns that a single active mine remains lethal for up to 90 years.

Civilians disproportionately bear the cost, as a mother gathering firewood or water can easily fall victim to traps planted years prior.

"These indiscriminate weapons fail to distinguish between combatants and civilians, posing a direct, illegal threat to children, women and elderly populations alike," Berman told Al-Fassel.

Consequently, planting explosives in residential zones and public roadways constitutes a severe violation requiring urgent accountability under international humanitarian law.

Fahmi al-Zubairi, Director General of the Human Rights Office in Sanaa, describes this tragic reality as turning farms and roads into expansive, "lethal death fields."

Critical efforts saving Yemeni lives

The Masam project plays a crucial role in revitalizing targeted regions, enabling residents to safely resume daily activities and essential agricultural livelihoods.

Berman notes that clearing such vast numbers of explosives from recaptured areas marks a significant achievement for regional security.

However, he warns "this also exposes the terrifying potential threat remaining in mountains and sites still under Houthi control."

Estimates suggest the militia has planted between two and three million landmines, highlighting a catastrophic humanitarian disaster caused by their ideology.

Mine clearance saves countless lives, underscoring the urgent need to hold perpetrators accountable while intensifying public awareness campaigns regarding these dangers.

Tragically, 80 percent of victims suffer limb amputations or permanent disabilities, with total casualties exceeding 15,000 documented cases, according to the AFC report.

Al-Zubairi stresses that protecting civilians remains an absolute imperative, regardless of the fluctuating status of active military hostilities.

Clearing land restores security and freedom of movement, upholding the basic human rights of Yemenis to survive and build a dignified existence.