1- Could you provide us with a brief summary about “Masam” project for demining the Yemeni lands. When did the project start? And what are its objectives?
It is a humanitarian project whose noble mission is to clear the mines, explosive charges and unexploded ordnance in Yemen, which have caused the death of many innocent children, women, elderly, and unarmed civilians. Also, it aims to prepare the qualified Yemeni capacities in the field of demining.
In order to overcome the direct threats faced by the innocent people resulting from the dangers of mines, the “Masam” project was launched in mid-June 2018 under the auspice of the King Salman Center for Relief and Humanitarian Aid, with the aim to clear mines in Yemen under the management of Saudi qualified persons, international experts, and Yemeni cadres wh are well-trained to clear all kinds of mines laid by the Houthi militias in Yemeni lands.
The “Masam” project aims to help the Yemeni people to overcome the tragedies caused by the spread of mines and explosive charges in many Yemeni governorates. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has always been a pioneer in humanitarian projects and is keen to interest in humanity all over the world. To this end, it was allocated the “Masam” project in Yemen to clear mines from this brotherly country afflicted by the death explosive charges, and to enable the Yemeni people it to live in peace, safe and security.
In order to complete the humanitarian efforts of the “Masam” project in Yemen and to achieve this noble mission, the “Masam” project contract concluded to remove the mines laid by the Houthi militias has been extended for one year, bringing the “Masam” project to six year in the framework of its humanitarian work in the Yemeni lands without interruption for any reason. This project was never stopped to contribute and keep the lives of innocent people and to perform its humanitarian mission, as it is one of the most important humanitarian works provided by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the Yemeni people.
The main objective is to demine the Yemeni areas, and to respond quickly to emergencies in the liberated areas by developing and preparing plans that help trained and qualified teams to demine the lands and to control the humanitarian disaster so as not to be an unprecedented catastrophe in the world.
The “Masam” project is not only limited to clearing mines, explosive charges, and unexploded ordnance of all kinds, but it also works to destroy them in order not to be used again. It seeks always to update its capabilities and develop its demining methods; as the Houthi militia seeks also to develop its methods in order to kill as many civilians as possible.
2- How many field teams are working on “Masam” project? and how long is the training and qualification period for the “Masam” project teams?
The “Masam” project was started its humanitarian work in Yemen by training and qualifying 32 engineering teams through international and Saudi experts, Yemeni teams, and a joint operations room with the National Mine Action Program (YMC). This project includes many experienced teams qualified for removing and destroying mines and explosive charges, including more than 550 experts, deminers and employees who are working preciously and sincerely to achieve the project’s noble objective of clearing the mines widely spread in various Yemeni governorates. The project teams are trained and qualified to deal with all forms and kinds of mines and their different methods of manufacture. In addition, refresher courses on how to appropriately deal with all types of landmines have been organized. The engineering teams have also been provided with the latest technologies and mechanisms in the field of mine detection, while working on continuous update for the field plans of demining.
3- What are the devices used in demining?
The “Masam” project uses the latest technologies and equipment in the field of mine detection, in addition to the latest mechanisms and devices used to detect the anti-personnel or anti-vehicles mines.
The good and experienced deminer is, in the first place, the main and most important element of demining. Thus, we are keen to train the teams continuously to keep up with new developments in the field of demining. Many research and studies have been conducted in order to find the best way to deal with mines and alternative techniques for dealing with mines. It was found that the best way to deal with mines is to have a professional deminer and a good mine detector. The technology may help to detect the mine , explosive charge or any other explosives, but it must be dealt with by an experienced deminer.
4- What are the types of mines that were removed during the period of “Masam” project? How many, so far, the mines that were locally manufactured and laid by the Houthi militias in Yemen but removed by the “Masam” project?
Starting from mid-June 2018 until today, the “Masam” project has been able to confront the threat of mines by carrying out operations intended to demine the Yemeni lands. The engineering team was managed to remove 406,390 mines and explosive charges, including 139,938 anti-tank mines, 6,258 anti-personnel ones and about 252,358 unexploded ordnance.
The “Masam” project engineering teams deal with all known landmines and local ones manufactured by the Houthi militias in their own laboratories, which were laid in different ways and forms, including the home-made and modified mines that are constantly being developed in different sizes, shapes, and objectives, and represent about 85% of total cleared mines.
Also, they deal with the explosive charges that were developed and camouflaged by the Houthi militias in the form of rocks, iron concrete and other familiar and deceptive shapes, in large numbers. For example, the last year’s mines are different from the today’s ones; as the today’s mines are more updated, sophisticated and complicated than the former ones.
We have found mines seen for the first time, whose size is larger than any mines we found before in Yemen, as well as with regard to explosive charges, all of which were manufactured in a professional and high technology manner.
5- How are mines removed from lands and regions?
The “Masam” project works to remove all kinds of landmines through several stages conducted according to specific mechanisms and strict technical controls. All field and engineering teams do their best together to identify the mined sites after being discovered or reported; as the emergencies are quickly responded to by SWAT teams.
These teams carry out the technical and non-technical surveys, locate landmines in all areas, and clear them of mines, unexploded ordnance and explosive charges in line with the demining international standards.
All of these efforts are seriously performed in order to overcome the dangers of mines, and to help the victims who have been exposed to this deadly weapon, so that civilians can enjoy their safe and normal life on their lands.
6- How are the demined areas dealt with? What methods are used and taken to inform everyone that these are demined areas?
After the clearance and removal of landmines, the Masam project conducts surveys of the demined lands to ensure that the whole area is safe free of mines and landmines. Then, the citizens shall be informed that these areas are demined in order to come back to their villages and homes, and so that the students can return to school after being completely secured and declared free of landmines.
Thanks to its expertise, capacities, equipment, firm will, and deep belief in its humanitarian mission in Yemen, the “Masam” project has provided and achieved, within five years, many sacrifices and achievements on the ground. For the sixth consecutive year, it continues to achieve unprecedented results in the course of international humanitarian work, and has contributed to restoring life to normal status in several Yemeni regions, which enjoys today a safe life away from the threats of mines. The project has also saved the lives of many innocent people, allowed the dreams to re-emerge, and gave a great hope for a better tomorrow in this country, which was long suffered from an unprecedented mines pandemic, in both quantitative and qualitative terms, which caused the death of many innocent people and many of them became people with special needs; as the mines had amputated their limbs.
7- How many mines have been removed from Yemen since the beginning of Masam Project to date? What is the percentage of geographical areas have been cleared of mines?
Starting from mid-June 2018 until today, the “Masam” project has been able to confront the threat of mines by carrying out operations intended to demine the Yemeni lands. The engineering team was managed to remove 406,390 mines and explosive charges, including 139,938 anti-tank mines, 6,258 anti-personnel ones and about 252,358 unexploded ordnance.
The “Masam” project engineering teams were managed to demine about 47,543,648m2 of Yemeni land.
8- How are alerts handled and used in mined places and areas but not yet been demined?
The Masam project does his best to successively achieve its humanitarian mission on the ground and to save the victims from the deadly death bombs by responding quickly to the calls for help issued by the civilians and everyone who needs help in this vital humanitarian field in Yemen.
The project also works to educate citizens about the danger of mines through the awareness leaflets made by the field teams to warn civilians not to approach the suspicious objects or tamper with and trying to dismantle mines, which may cause serious consequences for those who attempt to do so.
The media center of “Masam” project in Yemen also plays an awareness-raising and guidance role to spread awareness among citizens at various events and exhibitions in which the project participates, in addition to displaying the awareness-raising and guidance pictures to be vigilant and to raise the awareness level.
9- What are the types of mines used by the Houthis? What are the manufacturing countries and how is this known?
The “Masam” project teams deal with all known landmines and local ones manufactured by the Houthi militias in their own laboratories, which were laid in different ways and forms, including the home-made and modified mines that are constantly being developed in different sizes, shapes, and objectives, and represent about 85% of total cleared mines. Also, the “Masam” project engineering teams deal with the explosive charges that were developed and camouflaged by the Houthi militias.
The “Masam” project teams were managed to deal with and remove various forms of mines, thanks to their expertise, cadres and using the latest equipment, technology and modern devices in dealing with and removing mines and training field teams.
10- What are the difficulties and obstacles faced by the “Masam” project when demining in Yemen? What are the sacrifices made by the “Masam” project from its deminers who were died while working on the ground?
The “Masam” project faces some obstacles, like other competent bodies in the same field, because of the wide area of mined regions, unexploded ordnance, hundreds of thousands of explosive charges ar, lack of mine-laying maps and bad geographical and climatic conditions, which made the demining process is more difficult; as the rain pushes the mines to uncontaminated areas and become dangerous areas.
Starting from the beginning of “Masam” project in 2018, the Yemeni lands have witnessed new developments, obstacles, and deceptive tricks regarding the method and forms of mines. However, the “Masam” project spares no effort in keeping pace with these changes and overcoming all obstacles, which is considered as a tremendous challenge. Moreover, the “Masam” project teams continue to accomplish its achievements, submitted every week to world public opinion, including the demining processes, explosive charges, and unexploded ordnance, in addition to exploding and destroying all demined objects.
Certainly, in order to achieve these great achievements, the “Masam” project has provided during its humanitarian mission in Yemen many sacrifices, such as the death of 33 martyrs from the project crew, including five foreign experts. These heroes were sacrificed their lives in order to save the lives of Yemeni people.
11- How many experts does the “Masam” project have in the field of mines, training and rehabilitation who are present in the field of work?
The “Masam” project includes 32 teams, including: Saudi cadres, international experts, experienced Yemeni deminers, trainers, rapid response teams for emergencies and SWAT teams. All of these experienced teams work together to remove and destroy mines and explosive charges in the Yemeni lands. The project also includes more than 550 experts, deminers and employees, who works sincerely to achieve the objectives of project.
