Yemen demining project clears thousands of mines as child casualties persist

The Yemeni "Masam" demining project reported removing 5,653 landmines, unexploded ordnance and improvised explosive devices during July, including 5,246 unexploded shells, 310 anti‑tank mines, 72 anti‑personnel mines and 25 explosive devices. The effort cleared 1,323,226 m² of land and, since its launch in late June 2018, the teams have extracted a cumulative total of 576,778 mines and UXO, covering over 83 million m².

In a separate incident in the Al‑Bayda governorate, a landmine planted by Houthi forces exploded in the Zaher district, killing two children, 11‑year‑old Amir Saleh Qurosh and 12‑year‑old Najeeb Abdullah Al‑Absi, and wounding a third child, 16‑year‑old Abdul Aziz Maqtoub Qurosh, who was taken to hospital. The attack underscores the continuing danger of mines to civilians, especially children, despite ongoing clearance operations.