Al Mukha, Yemen: Engineering teams from the UAE Armed Forces alongside Yemeni legitimacy forces and Sudanese forces from the Saudi-led Arab Coalition Forces have begun carrying out de-mining operations in roads used by residents of the western coast areas of Yemen.
The UAE engineering teams are working on a daily basis to clear the liberated areas of thousands of mines and improvised explosive devices planted by Al Houthi militias on the road between Al Mukha and Al Khokha.
Al Houthis have deliberately and randomly planted various types of mines and improvised explosive devices on roads, homes and farms in the areas they’ve been expelled from without taking into consideration civilians, children, young people, women and the elderly.
Local and international human rights reports have shown that the militias have sown more than half a million mines in the liberated Yemeni provinces, including internationally banned mines that have killed hundreds of civilians and caused thousands of permanent disabilities to others.
Residents of the areas who use the roads thanked the UAE and the Arab Coalition forces for undertaking a difficult and dangerous task in order to provide security and safety for the Yemeni people and alleviate their suffering.
During its presence in the liberated areas of Yemen, the Emirates News Agency (WAM) monitored live scenes and saw heart-breaking photographs of the victims of mines planted by the Iranian-backed Al Houthi militias.
In interviews with WAM, the landmine victims spoke of their agony.
Abdul Majid Abdo, a Yemeni child, was playing outside his house with his friends when a small explosive device was detonated from beneath, causing him a permanent disability.
”I did not feel anything after the explosion but later I learned that the people took me to the Al Mukha Hospital and then to Aden. My hand was amputated due to the explosion,” Abdul Majid said, adding that “Al Houthis are the ones who planted mines on the roads to target all of us.”
Rawdah Ahmad Al Taweel is another child who was injured due to a mine, which dashed the dreams of a whole family, killed her brother and injured her mother and sister.
Despite her pain, Rawdah insisted on talking to WAM, saying, “When I was in a car on a road with my brother and my mother, we were shocked by a mine explosion next to our car, and because of the strong explosion, I and my mother were forced out of the car, bumping into something solid on the road.
“The tragedy did not stop at this point; Al Houthi militias fired at us indiscriminately to make sure that we were dead, but Allah Almighty wanted me to stay alive with my mother,” Rawdah added.
