Like millions of Yemenis, Marwan Youssef Taleb and his family fled fighting in their home village. “We were displaced. When we left our home, we were surprised by a Houthi mine. My family was killed. My sister and my friend Moukhtar Ghaleb were also killed.” Gravely injured, Marwan was hospitalised in Aden, where both his…
In Yemen, where family farming makes up for the majority of food production, landmines and other explosive devices are hampering access to farms. Tayyar Sulayman Omar Abdallah was on his way to work when a landmine detonated. “I left my home to go to the farm. A mine exploded under my car. My left and…
No humanitarian demining team tasked to travel and work on demining sites and in remote locations can do so without the essential presence of a dedicated National trauma trained medic. Project Masam currently has 40 medics deployed in Yemen: 32 National demining team medics, two National Medical Co-ordinators (headquartered in Ma’rib and in Aden) and three International medics, who…
As Project Masam approaches its four-year anniversary, the humanitarian mine clearance programme has announced its has located and destroyed 254,918 explosive devices in Yemeni liberated areas. These include 3,858 anti-personnel mines, 80,420 anti-tank mines, 6,040 improvised explosive devices and 164,600 unexploded ordnance neutralised over 23,270,112sqm of land since mid-2018. Last week (5 June – 11…
Like many farmers living in the resource-rich eastern Shabwah governorate, Abdullah Abdul Qadir was left fearing a landmine might end his life and that of his livestock. In 2015, the region and its Bayhan Directorate became a battleground between the Houthis and Pro-Yemeni government forces. As they retreated, the Houthis left behind landmines, unexploded ordnance and…
Naji Nasser was shepherding and dreaming of being successful in school when a landmine exploded, changing his life and that of his cousin, forever. Watch Naji’s story here. By clearing landmines, unexploded ordnance and improvised explosive devices scattered by Al Houthi militia, Project Masam is helping pave the way to Yemenis’ future recovery. Since mid-2018, Project…
Since it began in 2014, the civil war in Yemen has kept evolving. From changes in local power dynamics and the forced enrolment of child soldiers to the use of banned anti-personnel landmines and modified explosive devices, these developments have all been at the expense of Yemeni civilians. According to Project Masam, 85% of all…
Holding periodic refresher or continuation training is essential to update, correct or enhance skills; and forms part of Project Masam’s life-saving work in liberated areas in Yemen. Explaining the need for refresher training courses, Khaled Salem Shayef – a Yemeni deminer working for Project Masam’s Team 30 who received training from Project Masam’s experts -…
A man of few words, Tawfiq Mohammad Abdallah Jalajel asked Project Masam to share his story – one sadly lived by many Yemenis survivors of landmine explosions. “I entered my home and at the door, there was an explosion, and lost consciousness. They planted mines everywhere,” Tawfiq said, as he condemned the Houthi militias’ use…
Project Masam is proud to announce it has reached a milestone of a quarter of a million explosive items located, removed and destroyed across Yemen, as it continues its life-saving work to protect civilians. Since 2015, Houthis militias have and are still routinely employing landmines directly against civilians – extensively, intentionally and indiscriminately. Terrorised civilian…
