Hidden Killer: Report Warns Landmines Still Threaten Civilians in Yemen

Aden — Landmines and unexploded ordnance continue to pose a widespread threat to civilians in Yemen more than a decade after the outbreak of war, according to a new report by the Mokha Center for Strategic Studies.

The study, titled “The Hidden Killer: Report on the Spread of Landmines and War Remnants in Yemen”, cites the Landmine Monitor as recording at least 11,807 civilian casualties, including 4,262 deaths and 7,491 injuries. 

The figures reflect only documented cases, with vast areas of the country inaccessible for verification.

The center said Houthi forces have laid mines since seizing Sana’a in September 2014 not only in combat zones but also in homes, farmland, flood channels, water sources, and rural roads. 

The nature of concealment and placement has left farmers, herders, children, and women among the most vulnerable. Many survivors suffer permanent disabilities and amputations.

The report highlighted the work of the Saudi-funded Masam demining project, launched by the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center in 2018. 

By the end of July 2026, Masam teams had cleared 83.7 million square meters of land and removed 578,226 mines, unexploded ordnance, and improvised explosive devices. 

These included 409,726 unexploded munitions, 152,285 anti-tank mines, 7,604 anti-personnel mines, and 8,611 IEDs.

In July alone, Masam teams dismantled 7,101 devices averaging nearly 229 per day and cleared 1.6 million square meters of land. The project has come at a heavy cost: 32 deminers have been killed during operations, including five foreign experts.

The report underscores that despite ongoing clearance efforts, landmines remain a lethal legacy of Yemen’s conflict, continuing to endanger civilians and hinder recovery across the country.