Official Delegation Commends Humanitarian Efforts of Masam Project and Emphasizes Its Importance to Saving Civilians’ Lives

An official delegation from the Ministry of Defense, the Armed Forces General Staff, and Deputy Governors of several governorates visited the headquarters of the "Masam" Landmine Clearance Project -Yemen today. During the visit, the delegation praised the project's vital humanitarian role in clearing Yemeni territory of landmines and explosive devices planted by the Houthi terrorist militia, and which continue to pose a deadly threat to innocent civilians.

The delegation emphasized the importance of sustaining this life-saving initiative, highlighting its critical contribution to protecting millions of lives and preventing further civilian casualties.

The delegation was led by Major General Ahmed Shamar, Advisor to the Minister of Defense, and included Brigadier General Ahmed Ali Al-Ashwal, Head of the Armed Forces’ Moral Guidance Department, along with deputy governors of Sana'a, Al-Jawf, Al-Bayda, Al-Mahwit, and Dhamar.

The delegation praised the remarkable achievements of the "Masam" project over seven years of continuous and dedicated work. The project has successfully removed nearly half a million landmines and explosive devices, and cleared more than 66.5 million square meters of mined land in the liberated governorates.

During the visit, Mr. Retief Horn, Deputy Managing Director of the project, Mr. Khalid Al-Otaibi, Assistant Managing Director, and Saudi expert Mr. Fawaz Al-Zahrani provided a detailed overview of the work carried out by the engineering teams operating across various governorates. They also presented actual samples of mines that had been extracted, showcasing the extent of the militia’s criminal ingenuity in designing these devices in a variety of shapes and forms, aimed at maximizing civilian casualties—including women, children, and the elderly.

The delegation also toured a photo exhibition that depicted the devastating impact of landmines, featuring images of civilian victims and models of improvised explosive devices. Some of these devices had been specifically booby-trapped to target demining personnel, resulting in the martyrdom of several team members who lost their lives in the line of duty while fulfilling their humanitarian mission.

Members of the delegation emphasized that the "Masam" project represents one of the most significant aspects of humanitarian and fraternal support extended by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, under the leadership of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz, and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and with the backing of the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center. The project further stands as a testament to the Kingdom’s genuine solidarity with the Yemeni people.

The delegation further noted that Yemen will continue to require the support of this vital humanitarian initiative for many years to come—even long after the war ends—due to the vast number and widespread distribution of landmines planted indiscriminately by the Houthi militia across numerous regions.