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Int’l Report: Yemen Ranks Eighth in Fatalities from Explosives

MASAM removed 142,000 anti-tank mines and 6,400 anti-personnel mines. (MASAM)
MASAM removed 142,000 anti-tank mines and 6,400 anti-personnel mines. (MASAM)
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Int’l Report: Yemen Ranks Eighth in Fatalities from Explosives

MASAM removed 142,000 anti-tank mines and 6,400 anti-personnel mines. (MASAM)
MASAM removed 142,000 anti-tank mines and 6,400 anti-personnel mines. (MASAM)

The teams of the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center's (KSrelief) Masam Project working on the western coast were astonished to uncover substantial quantities of shells strategically placed by Houthi forces near Bab al-Mandab.
This coincides with an international report that has placed Yemen as the eighth country with the highest casualties due to explosives, recording over 17,000 incidents.
The Masam team, engaged in demining operations, expressed surprise at discovering more than 250 unexploded shells laid by the Houthis.
In contrast to the hazardous aftermath left by Houthi activities, the Masam Team 26 is diligently working on clearing and securing an expansive area of approximately 300,000 square meters in Jahbar in Al Khawkhah in order to establish a solar power plant.
Since the project's inception, a total of 427,534 mines have been dismantled, according to MASAM Program Manager Osama Al-Gosaibi.
The total cleared area of Yemeni lands has reached 822,725 square meters since the beginning of January.
17,000 Casualties
A recent international report revealed that Yemen still ranks eighth in terms of civilian casualties by explosives, in which more than 460 civilians were killed during 2023, and more than 17,000 casualties in the past decade.
The latest global explosive violence monitor report from Action on Armed Violence (AOAV), a London-based charity, reveals a disturbing surge in civilian fatalities and incidents of explosive weapon use globally in 2023, with a 122% rise in global civilian fatalities compared to the previous year.
Over the past decade, among the ten worst-affected countries and territories for civilian casualties of explosive violence were Syria (71,359), Iraq (45,398), Afghanistan (27,649), and Yemen (17,125).
Increased Displacement
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has reported a 75% increase in internally displaced individuals in Yemen in the first week of 2024 compared to the end of December.
Between 31 December 2023 and 6 January 2024, the IOM Yemen Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM) tracked 21 households (126 individuals) displaced at least once.
The majority of people moved into/within the following governorates and districts: Marib (11 HHs) - most displacements in the governorate originated from Marib and Al Hodeidah - Taiz (8 HHs) - most displacements originated from Taiz -, and Al Hodeidah (2 HHs) - all displacements were internal.
IOM Yemen DTM tracked 9,977 households (59,862 Individuals) who experienced displacement at least once.

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Baghdad Urges Washington to Prevent ‘Imminent’ Israeli Strikes

Sudani visiting a market in Baghdad on Thursday (Government media)
Sudani visiting a market in Baghdad on Thursday (Government media)
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Baghdad Urges Washington to Prevent ‘Imminent’ Israeli Strikes

Sudani visiting a market in Baghdad on Thursday (Government media)
Sudani visiting a market in Baghdad on Thursday (Government media)

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani on Thursday called on major powers to “exert greater efforts to end the war in Palestine and Lebanon.” Meanwhile, an Iraqi government official urged the United States to “prevent any attacks on the country,” referring to potential Israeli strikes.
During a phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Al-Sudani stressed the importance of ensuring the conflict does not escalate “to a level that threatens regional and global stability.”
The Iraqi prime minister’s appeal comes amid reports suggesting that Israel may launch strikes on Iraq in retaliation for attacks by Iraqi armed factions targeting Israeli positions.
The Iraqi government is striving to assert its exclusive authority over weapons and war-related decisions. However, armed factions affiliated with the Axis of Resistance openly claim responsibility for near-daily rocket attacks on Israel. This has provided Israel with a justification for potentially targeting Iraqi territory, especially after it filed a complaint with the UN Security Council against six Iraqi factions and held Baghdad responsible for the attacks.
These factions have also openly declared their involvement in the ongoing conflict with Israel in Lebanon and Gaza. The Iraqi government has been unable to take decisive action to halt the activities of these factions, which many believe could soon expose Iraq to an Israeli strike.
According to media reports, Washington has warned Baghdad that Israeli airstrikes on Iraq are “imminent” unless the Iraqi government curtails attacks by Iranian-backed factions on Israel. The Times of Israel cited sources indicating that the United States has “exhausted all means of pressure on Israel” and urged Iraq to act swiftly to prevent such attacks.
Despite repeated assurances from the Iraqi government—including its recent adoption of 12 measures by the National Security Council to counter Israeli threats and complaints—the situation remains tense. These measures include monitoring Iraq’s western borders, preventing factions from launching attacks, and maintaining Iraq’s neutrality in the ongoing conflict.
On Wednesday, Abu Hussein Al-Hamidawi, Secretary-General of Kata’ib Hezbollah, made a striking statement on the role of resistance factions in the war and their commitment to the Unity of Fronts doctrine frequently mentioned by Axis of Resistance groups.
In an interview published by the faction’s media arm, Al-Hamidawi said: “The continuity of the Unity of Fronts concept depends on what the Lebanese Hezbollah decides.”
Al-Hamidawi also emphasized that resistance factions are constantly coordinating internally and with external partners such as Hezbollah, the Houthis, and Palestinian resistance leaders.
“We aim to ensure that the Palestinian people are not left alone and that the Unity of Fronts remains intact,” he stated.
Fadi Al-Shammari, a political advisor to Sudani, reiterated that Israel’s threats “are not new,” citing the recent complaint filed by Israel with the UN Security Council as part of its pattern of issuing threats.
In media statements, Al-Shammari reaffirmed the Iraqi government’s long-standing position: “The decision of war and peace lies solely with the Iraqi government.”
He noted that the factions’ attacks are being launched from areas outside Iraq’s borders, specifically from Syria. However, he stressed that the Iraqi government is working through its security and military agencies to prevent Iraq from becoming a battlefield for external or internal parties.
Al-Shammari also called on the United States to fulfill its responsibilities under the Strategic Framework Agreement and security pact with Iraq, emphasizing the need to deter and respond to any external attacks that threaten Iraq’s internal security.