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Gosaibi: MASAM Project Cleared Over 16,000 Mines, Unexploded Ordnance

MASAM Program Manager Osama Al-Gosaibi during a field tour in Yemen (Asharq Al-Awsat)
MASAM Program Manager Osama Al-Gosaibi during a field tour in Yemen (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Gosaibi: MASAM Project Cleared Over 16,000 Mines, Unexploded Ordnance

MASAM Program Manager Osama Al-Gosaibi during a field tour in Yemen (Asharq Al-Awsat)
MASAM Program Manager Osama Al-Gosaibi during a field tour in Yemen (Asharq Al-Awsat)

The Saudi Project for Landmines Clearance in Yemen (MASAM) has cleared more than 16,000 mines, unexploded ordnance and improvised explosive devices planted by Iranian-backed Houthi militias in Yemeni villages and towns, since its launch in late June 2018.

In an interview with Asharq Al-Awsat, MASAM Program Manager Osama Al-Gosaibi said that the majority of mines were Iranian made, while others originated from Russia and Eastern Europe.

He noted that the project employed 41 teams inside Yemen, including 32 demining teams and nine rapid intervention groups to neutralize explosive devices, while the total number of team members is around 430.

“We work from Marib as the headquarters and we have teams in the governorates of Shabwa, Al Jawf, Al-Bayda, parts of Taiz, Bab Al Mandab, West Coast… and two teams in Sanaa,” he stated.

Three members were killed during demining operations, he said, stressing that MASAM was a “purely humanitarian project”, with Saudi supervision and funding, that focuses on preserving the lives of the population in various Yemeni areas, including those under the control of the Houthis, noting that two teams were currently operating in Sanaa.

According to Gosaibi, MASAM Project has trained 32 Yemeni teams from the Yemeni National Demining Program, providing them with equipment, armor, and vehicles, as well as medical and logistical support under the supervision of Saudi and foreign experts.

“So far, we have cleared 16,000 mines, unexploded ordnance and improvised explosive devices in various liberated areas where we operate,” he told Asharq Al-Awsat.

Gosaibi continued: “We have about 20 people in Sanaa, and this confirms that we are not targeting only the liberated areas, but all the Yemeni territories without exception or distinction. The only challenge is not being able to supervise them directly, so we receive reports from them after a while.”

Asked about the types of mines cleared so far by MASAM, he said: “We have found many types; there are mines that were in the warehouses of the Yemeni army, including Russian mines or Eastern European; but there are a lot of mines imported from Iran, and there are mines manufactured locally, and we found them in abundance.”

“Houthi militias have planted these mines indiscriminately in cities, roads, houses, mosques, and schools. We can understand the planting of mines on military fronts and defensive positions on the battle lines, but we have found mines in villages, gardens, and schools, which means that these mines don’t have a military purpose but have become a tool for terrorism,” he affirmed.

Estimates showed that mine victims reached 1,800 people among those killed, injured and amputated, according to Gosaibi.

He noted that MASAM operated under the umbrella of King Salman Center for Relief and Humanitarian Action (KSRELIEF), and maintained coordination with the different Yemeni parties.

“We coordinate with all the parties on the ground, the legitimacy, the Coalition, and the Yemeni resistance; everyone is aware of our actions to facilitate our work,” he said.

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UN Envoy to Sudan: Foreign Arms Fuel Military Illusions, Prolong War

The United Nations’ special envoy to Sudan, Ramtane Lamamra (UN Photo) 
The United Nations’ special envoy to Sudan, Ramtane Lamamra (UN Photo) 
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UN Envoy to Sudan: Foreign Arms Fuel Military Illusions, Prolong War

The United Nations’ special envoy to Sudan, Ramtane Lamamra (UN Photo) 
The United Nations’ special envoy to Sudan, Ramtane Lamamra (UN Photo) 

The United Nations’ special envoy to Sudan, Ramtane Lamamra, has issued a stark warning about the continued flow of weapons into the war-torn country, saying it only “feeds military delusions” and delays peace.

In his first in-depth interview since assuming the role earlier this year, Lamamra told Asharq Al-Awsat that peace in Sudan cannot be imposed from outside but must be forged by Sudanese themselves through collective will and unity.

“Peace is not imposed, it is made,” he said. “And if Sudanese do not make it, it will not come to them from the outside.”

Lamamra, an Algerian diplomat and former foreign minister with decades of experience in African mediation, emphasized that no military solution is possible in Sudan’s conflict. Instead, he called for an urgent political settlement, warning that “each day of delay means more fragmentation, more bloodshed.”

Following meetings in Port Sudan with Sovereign Council leader Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and ongoing communications with the leadership of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), Lamamra acknowledged that the path to peace remains long and difficult.

He condemned what he described as a dangerous “logic of dominance” driving the conflict—a belief that complete military victory is possible, regardless of the cost to Sudan’s social fabric. “Some actors still think peace can wait until one side wins,” he said. “But that’s a delusion. There is no military solution.”

Instead, he stressed: “Sudan needs a political solution based on compromise, not revenge.”

Since taking office, Lamamra has focused on coordinating rather than expanding international mediation efforts. He voiced concern about the “overcrowding of mediators,” which he said has allowed Sudanese factions to exploit international divisions.

To address this, Lamamra launched a consultative group that includes the African Union, the Arab League, and peace-sponsoring countries. The group has met in Cairo, Djibouti, and Mauritania and plans to convene again in Brussels under EU sponsorship.

“What we need is not more mediators, but consensus around a unified vision,” he said. “Multiple tracks have allowed some parties to bet on contradictory international positions, delaying serious efforts toward peace.”

He pointed to UN Security Council Resolution 2724, which tasked him with coordinating peace efforts, emphasizing that its implementation hinges on aligning international efforts behind a single, realistic peace strategy.

Asked whether Sudan’s war has faded from global attention, Lamamra acknowledged that media coverage may fluctuate but said the humanitarian catastrophe continues to deepen.

“The suffering is daily and ongoing,” he said, highlighting the dire conditions in North Darfur and the rapidly deteriorating situation in Zamzam camp. “The tragedy breaks the heart.”

With over 13 million internally displaced and millions more seeking refuge abroad, Lamamra described Sudan as the site of the world’s largest humanitarian crisis today. “This is a country under siege by arms, division, and international silence,” he said.

He praised the special attention paid by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who has longstanding ties to Sudan dating back to his leadership of the UN refugee agency.

Lamamra was especially vocal about the dangerous role of foreign military support. “Feeding the war with weapons is not support for resolution—it is participation in prolonging delusion and division,” he said.

He accused some regional and international actors of backing Sudanese factions in hopes of future influence. “They forget that war leaves nothing intact to control,” he noted. “It’s in no one’s interest to see Sudan collapse.”

The envoy reiterated the UN’s calls for a total halt to arms shipments and strict enforcement of Security Council resolutions aimed at cutting off military funding.

Despite international interference, Lamamra emphasized that the ultimate responsibility for ending the war lies with Sudanese themselves. “History will judge them first and foremost,” he underlined.

Lamamra said the Jeddah Declaration—an agreement brokered by Saudi Arabia to ensure humanitarian access and civilian protection—remains a viable starting point for peace efforts. He commended Riyadh’s efforts and urged regional actors to intensify pressure on warring factions.

He also pointed to the upcoming Arab League summit in Baghdad as a potential turning point. “Sudan is central to the Arab identity. This is not a crisis that allows for neutrality,” he said.

In a direct message to the Sudanese public, Lamamra expressed admiration for their resilience. “I visited Port Sudan recently and met with leaders and citizens. I was moved by their hospitality and strong will to take charge of their future,” he said.

He pledged the UN’s continued support, acknowledging the scale of the humanitarian challenge: “Children, women, and innocent civilians are being stripped of life’s basic necessities. This crisis demands a moral awakening—not just from governments, but from everyone who hears and sees.”

Lamamra concluded: “Peace is not a one-time event—it’s a long-term project. And if we don’t begin now, there may be nothing left to build on in a few months.”