ADEN, Yemen, Dec. 8 (Xinhua) -- Landmines laid by the Houthi rebels in various areas of the Red Sea port city of Hodeidah paralyzed the life of civilians there and restricted their daily movement.

Many families were affected by the excessive existence of landmines in the roads leading to their residential areas and farms in Hodeidah's southern parts.

A citizen named Ali Nahari explained his tragedy when a Houthi-laid landmine exploded on the beach and immediately amputated one of his legs at the scene last year.

"When my father heard the sound of the explosion, he rushed to rescue me, but unfortunately upon his arrival at the site another mine exploded and killed my father instantly," Nahari said.

Residents in the district of Tuhyata told Xinhua that the Houthi rebels are still planting landmines in many areas near their houses.

They said that a number of explosions caused by Houthi-laid landmines struck their district during the past weeks, leaving casualties among the citizens.

Last month, nearly 6,325 of mines and explosives were detonated by a team of the Saudi Landmine Clearance Project in the country's western coast area, Yemeni military sources said.

Large swathes of Yemen have been swamped by randomly-planted landmines, which are posing a lingering threat to the lives of citizens across the war-torn country.

According to the United Nations, thousands of landmines, unexploded ordnance, and other explosive war remnants have been left behind during the ongoing conflict in Yemen which has entered its fifth year.

The impoverished Arab country has been locked into a civil war since the Iran-backed Houthi rebels overran much of the country militarily and seized all northern provinces, including the capital Sanaa, in 2014.

Saudi Arabia, which has been leading an anti-Houthi military coalition since early 2015, launched a project to dismantle mines in Yemen in June 2018.

As part of a 40-million-U.S.-dollar initiative launched by Saudi Arabia, the project aims to remove mines left by Houthi militias and equip the Yemeni specialists with the skills and resources necessary to clear landmines. Enditem

Related

Go to Forum >>0 Comment(s)