Saudi Initiative Neutralises Over 4,200 Hazards in 24 Hours

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Saudi Arabia’s Project Masam has achieved a significant humanitarian milestone by clearing 4,235 mines, unexploded ordnance, and other explosive devices in just 24 hours from the Bab Al-Mandab region in southwestern Yemen. The high-stakes operation is part of an ongoing mission to protect civilians from the lethal remnants of conflict. Osama Al-Gosaibi, the project’s director general, emphasised that the initiative’s ultimate goal is to rid Yemen of all mines, ensuring the highest standards of safety and security for its people.  

The extensive inventory of destroyed items from the single-day operation on Wednesday highlights the sheer scale of the threat. Teams successfully neutralised 33 anti-tank mines, 31 anti-personnel mines, 86 miscellaneous shells, and 2,750 assorted rounds of ammunition. The operation also involved the destruction of 1,291 breakers and valves used in improvised devices, 12 grenades, two Katyusha rockets, one missile, 15 shell arrows, and 14 other specialised explosive devices. By clearing these hazards, Masam aims to restore normalcy to villages, secure vital roads, and protect areas surrounding schools, which are essential for the delivery of humanitarian aid.  

Beyond immediate clearance, Project Masam is focused on long-term sustainability by training local Yemenis to become professional demining engineers. The project provides these local cadres with modern equipment and specialised instruction to handle evolving explosive threats independently. Since its launch in 2018, the project has cleared over 531,000 devices, significantly reducing civilian casualties and allowing displaced families to return to their homes. In addition to its engineering work, the project also provides critical medical and rehabilitation support to Yemenis who have been injured by explosive devices