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.…
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…
Nazmi Musleh, a local resident from the Karsh district in Yemen’s southern power keg Lahj Province has described life amongst Houthi landmines. Since the break out of the war, the Karsh frontline has been the scene of intense fighting between the Yemeni government forces and Houthi-backed militias. According to Project Masam, Houthis have used landmines…
Like Abdou Hamdi, farmers and herders who take their cattle – goats and sheep – to graze in areas where the risk is unknown are the ones most affected by landmines in Yemen. Because of the nature of their occupation, any physical or emotional injury can have devastating, life-changing implications. Abdou was herding his sheep…
Like many children and teenagers in Yemen, Saeed Hassan was the main shepherd for grazing animals in his family – one of the riskiest activities for civilians living in contaminated areas where the risk is unknown. He recalls is story: Four friends herding their sheep. An explosion. Death and trauma. Pain and a life changed…
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,…
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…
