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RIYADH: Masam, a Saudi Arabia initiative to remove unexploded ordnance and landmines from Yemen,\u00a0has continued its work despite ongoing military operations in the country, according to Ousama Algosaibi, managing director of the project.<\/p>\n
Algosaibi said in a press release issued on Friday that project teams continue to operate around the clock and are following their established schedules.<\/p>\n
Special task- and rapid-response teams remain ready to respond to emergencies within their areas of operation in Yemen\u2019s liberated territories, he said.<\/p>\n
Algosaibi\u2019s confirmation comes amid reports that Houthi forces are laying additional landmines in areas under their control and along operational routes.<\/p>\n
\u201cAt Project Masam, we remain committed to our humanitarian mission and our responsibility to secure roads, farmland and other civilian areas, regardless of the circumstances or military activity taking place near our areas of operation,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
He added that Masam teams have intensified Explosive Ordnance Risk Education activities on the dangers posed by landmines, improvised explosive devices and explosive remnants of war, with particular attention given to women and children, who remain especially vulnerable.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur experts continuously review and update operational plans so that our teams are prepared to deal with evolving explosive threats,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
He warned that a rise in landmine and explosive ordnance casualties remains a serious concern as military activity continues, particularly in areas already heavily contaminated by years of mine-laying and explosive remnants of war.<\/p>\n
Masam currently has 45 engineering teams deployed across areas controlled by Yemen\u2019s internationally-recognized government.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Algosaibi praised the teams that have continued operations despite incidents of shelling several kilometers from some areas of work and reports of drones operating overhead near certain locations.<\/p>\n
He said Masam\u2019s operations rooms remain active round the clock to receive reports from civilians and coordinate emergency responses.<\/p>\n
Demolition operations are also continuing according to established procedures, with recovered explosive items destroyed rather than stored once disposal arrangements are in place.<\/p>\n
Algosaibi said Masam documents demolition operations through photographs and videos, to preserve evidence of the scale and nature of Yemen\u2019s explosive contamination.<\/p>\n
He thanked the Yemeni government, provincial governors, local authorities, military leaders, the Yemeni Armed Forces and security agencies for their continued support for Masam\u2019s teams.<\/p>\n
He also praised the National Mine Action Committee, led by Maj. Gen. Amin Al-Aqili, the Yemen Executive Mine Action Centre, and its Aden branch, led by Brig. Gen. Qaed Haitham, for their continued support.<\/p>\n
Since its inception in June 2018 through Sept. 25,\u00a02026, Project Masam had cleared 593,489 landmines and other explosive threats, including 7,735 anti-personnel mines, 153,107 anti-tank mines, 423,960 items of unexploded ordnance and 8,687 IEDs.<\/p>\n
Masam\u2019s teams had cleared 85.8 million sq. meters of land, the report added.<\/p>\n
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