Project Masam demolishes over 4,600 landmines, and unexploded ordnance in Yemen’s Abyan

Project Masam’s deminers have destroyed 4,620 landmines, and unexploded ordnance in the Wadi Dufs area of Zinjibar in Abyan Governorate, east of Aden, Yemen’s de facto capital.

In alignment with the global mine action sector, Project Masam’s responsibilities include the clearance, removal or destruction of landmines stockpile and explosive remnants of war.

By destroying the explosive items, Project Masam ensures they can no longer function as designed – this effectively protects civilian populations and helps to eradicate these deadly weapons.

On 26 June 2025, Project Masam’s Special Task Team (STT) in the Aden sector confirmed that the operation involved the detonation and destruction of:

    155 assorted shells
    235 miscellaneous fuses
    85  armour Piercing Fin-Stabilised Discarding Sabots (APFSDSs)
    4,096  miscellaneous rounds
    13  anti-personnel mines
    Five anti-tank mines
    31  hand grenades

Engineer Munther Ahmed Qassem, leader of the STT, said: “The operation was conducted in a remote area, safely distanced from residential zones and farmland, in full accordance with international safety standards.”

“The Special Task Teams operate year-round because of the critical importance of our mission to protect innocent lives,” Qasim stated. He also highlighted the challenges faced by the teams, including extreme temperatures and the rugged, complex terrain in which they work.

Project Masam continues its humanitarian efforts across multiple Yemeni governorates afflicted by the widespread presence of landmines and explosive remnants of war. Its core objective is to clear affected lands and enable the safe return of civilian life to communities devastated by conflict.