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…
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…
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…
ike 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…
When we first met Saliha Abdah outside her simple house made of concrete blocks, she avoided our gaze. Her three young children huddled around her; she slowly started telling her story. “We were displaced when the war started; the Houthis entered our region and planted landmines. I went to the mountain to collect wood. Suddenly,…
Sadly, in Yemen, Mossad Naji’s story is far too common. Naji is a grandfather who lives in the Shakhb village in the Al Dala’a Governorate. Since the beginning of Yemen’s full-blown armed conflict in December 2013, the southern province of Al Dala’a (also known as al-Dhale) has been a battleground between various separatist factions, Houthi militias and pro-government…
Abd Elbaset Abd El Jalil was badly injured when a landmine exploded as he drove his car. “I was surprised as I was driving on my way safely, I don’t know where the mine came from,” El Jalil said. “The mine split my car in two, the passenger who was next to me died and…
The Houthi Militias turned schools into military barracks and warehouses to stock landmines and improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in all regions occupied. Villagers believe these methods were taken to destroy the education system in Yemen. Al Shaab School in Jabal Habashi District in Taiz Governorate is one of the hundreds of schools that were damaged…
Fouad Abdullah Qassem went to check on livestock after he heard a few animals were killed by an explosion. Little did he know that he was walking on a minefield. As he inspected the area, the father of five walked on a landmine. “There was an explosion of livestock in Tabat Bel Khalf and I…
Ahmed Mohamed Saeed, who lives in Yemen’s Hays Directorate, was forcibly displaced by the conflict. Him and his family left everything behind – possessions and livelihoods. He was traveling in his truck when an anti-tank landmine exploded. Whilst his truck was destroyed, Saeed’s legs were badly injured – a sadly daily occurrence in this heavily-mined region.…
