The King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center announced on Saturday the extension of the "Masam" landmine clearance project in Yemen for an additional year at a cost of $33 million and 595 thousand, marking the fourth consecutive year of funding. The Saudi Press Agency quoted Abdullah Al-Rubai, an advisor in the Royal Court and the general supervisor of the center, stating that as of Saturday, the Masam project has removed 263,428 landmines and various munitions "planted by the Houthi group in conflict areas in Yemen, which they attempted to hide in various shapes, colors, and methods, resulting in numerous casualties among children, women, and the elderly."
The King Salman Aid and Relief Center initially launched the first phase of the "Masam" landmine clearance project in Yemen on June 25, 2018, with funding of $40 million from Saudi Arabia over five years. The landmines have claimed thousands of Yemeni lives and left tens of thousands with serious injuries and amputations. The Yemen Ministry of Human Rights reports that the Houthis have planted over one million landmines in Yemeni governorates since the onset of the war in early 2015, representing a rate higher than during World War II. Observers believe that these landmines will pose a significant threat to civilian lives for many years to come, even if the war ceases and parties reach a political settlement, due to their indiscriminate planting without clear and defined maps.
The conflict in Yemen continues into its seventh year. The Houthi group overthrew the government in the capital, Sanaa, in late 2014, prompting the Saudi-led coalition to intervene months later.
