RIYADH: An ongoing Saudi program to clear landmines in Yemen saw 896 devices laid by the Iran-backed Houthis dismantled in the second week of May.
Overseen by the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center, special teams destroyed 11 anti-personnel mines, 156 anti-tank mines, 728 unexploded ordnance, and one explosive device.
The KSrelief project, known as Masam, is one of several initiatives undertaken by Saudi Arabia on the orders of King Salman to help the Yemeni people.
The project has cleared routes for the delivery of much-needed humanitarian aid.
The demining operations took place in Marib, Aden, Jouf, Shabwa, Taiz, Hodeidah, Lahij, Sanaa, Al-Bayda, Al-Dhale, and Saada.
A total of 398,110 mines have been cleared since the start of the project.
More than 1.2 million mines have been planted by the Houthis, claiming the lives of hundreds of civilians.
The project trains local demining engineers and provides them with modern equipment. It also offers support to Yemenis injured by the devices.
In June 2022, the project’s contract was extended for another year at a cost of $33.29 million.
