Following reports from citizens and local authorities, Project Masam’s Special Task Team 1 has safely disposed of 4,523 explosive hazards recovered from the governorates of Aden, Abyan and Lahj, highlighting the vital role local communities continue to play in reducing the threat posed by landmines and other explosive remnants of war.<\/p>\n
The demolition operation brought together landmines, artillery shells and other explosive hazards recovered after being reported to Project Masam’s Operations Room. The team remains available around the clock to respond to reports, assess suspected explosive hazards and remove them safely before they can threaten lives and livelihoods.<\/p>\n
The governorates of Aden, Abyan and Lahj continue to experience the legacy of years of conflict<\/a>. As frontlines shifted and armed groups withdrew from previously contested areas, large quantities of landmines, unexploded ordnance (UXO) and other explosive remnants of war (ERW) were left behind in agricultural land, residential areas, transport routes and abandoned military positions. While many explosive hazards are discovered during survey and clearance operations, others are found by civilians, local authorities and public institutions carrying out their daily activities.<\/p>\n Speaking during the demolition operation, Munther Ahmed Qasim, Leader of Special Task Team 1, which specialises in Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) on Yemen’s West Coast, said: “We regularly receive reports from citizens and government authorities, and we immediately deploy to the reported locations in coordination with Project Masam’s Operations Room.”<\/p>\n The operation also reflects a broader change in the relationship between communities and humanitarian mine action teams across Yemen. In recent years, Project Masam’s Explosive Ordnance Risk Education (EORE) activities and sustained engagement with local communities have helped build trust, encouraging civilians to report suspected explosive hazards rather than ignore, move or retain them.<\/p>\n In some areas, civilians previously kept explosive items<\/a> for scrap value or other purposes, often without fully appreciating the danger they posed to their families and neighbours. Through community awareness sessions<\/a>, educational materials and regular engagement by deminers, increasing numbers of people are now handing over explosive hazards or reporting their locations to Project Masam’s teams. This growing cooperation enables specialist teams to recover and safely destroy explosive hazards before they cause further casualties.<\/p>\n “We thank all citizens for reporting these hazards, enabling us to remove mines and other explosive hazards before they can harm local communities. We are available around the clock to receive reports from citizens and local authorities, and we respond to them immediately,” Qasim added.<\/p>\n The continued willingness of citizens and local authorities to report suspected explosive hazards has become an important component of humanitarian Mine Action in Yemen. By working together with affected communities, Project Masam’s teams are able to respond rapidly, remove explosive hazards safely and help reduce the risks faced by civilians living in contaminated areas.<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t