Saudi Arabia extends mission to clear mines in Yemen

The Saudi King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre (KSrelief) yesterday announced the extension of the Masam project, aimed at clearing Yemeni territory of mines, for another year, at a cost of $35 million.

The Saudi News Agency (SPA) quoted Abdullah Al-Rabiah, adviser to the Saudi Royal Court and KSrelief general supervisor, as saying that the renewal of the contract with the implementing partner comes in view of the vital importance this specific project represents in completing the decontamination of Yemeni lands from mines planted ubiquitously, indiscriminately and in various forms, in places and ways meant to claim the lives of defenceless civilians, causing them permanent injuries and disabilities.

To date, he added, the project has been able to clear 450,919 mines and various missiles, while training Yemeni teams to clear mines.

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“The project focuses on dismantling these mines and eliminating the threats they pose to the Yemeni population. It also includes capacity-building and training activities for Yemeni individuals involved in mine clearance,” he added.

According to official Yemeni reports, mines have claimed the lives of thousands of civilians in many governorates since the start of the war in March 2015.

Yemen has been suffering from a war that began after the Houthis took control of the capital, Sanaa, and several governorates at the end of 2014. The conflict intensified in March 2015, after the intervention of an Arab military coalition led by Saudi Arabia to support forces loyal to the internationally-recognised government to confront the Houthis.

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