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Landmines as a Persistent Threat to Civilians in Yemen
Mwatana for Human Rights announced today the release of its report, "Fields of Death," which sheds light on the direct and indirect consequences of landmine use in the ongoing Yemeni conflict. The report highlights the impact on the lives and futures of civilians in numerous Yemeni regions contaminated with landmines, an enduring violation whose effects may last for decades beyond the cessation of military operations.
The "Fields of Death" report is the culmination of extensive monitoring and documenting efforts by Mwatana's field and central teams between June 2023 and the end of April 2024. It examines the widespread presence of landmines and the nature of the areas in which they were planted. The report also addresses the escalating danger and the increasing number of victims as military operations decrease and many displaced residents return to their homes in areas they previously fled.
The report’s foundation is built on 537 documented incidents of landmine use recorded by Mwatana’s team from January 2016 to March 2024. These incidents occurred in 14 Yemeni governorates, with Al-Hudaydah governorate leading in terms of the extent and level of mine contamination, followed by Taiz, Al-Jawf, Hajjah, Marib, Al-Bayda, Sana’a, Al-Dhale’, Lahij, Saada, Shabwa, Abyan, Aden, and Ibb, in descending order. The Ansar Allah (Houthi) group is responsible for 512 incidents, while the other parties are responsible for 25 incidents.
According to the report, 96% of the documented incidents are attributed to the Ansar Allah (Houthi) group, with the remaining 4% or less linked to other parties. The report also reveals that the highest concentration of landmine deployment occurs in areas controlled by or previously controlled by the Ansar Allah (Houthi) group.
The report points out that following the announcement of the longest truce in the history of the Yemeni conflict, brokered by the UN on April 2, 2022, civilians rushed to return to their homes and villages after years of displacement in internal refugee camps, with the hope of reclaiming their lost lives. However, landmines and explosive remnants left by the warring parties in fields, roads, pastures, and near water sources awaited them, preventing them from access to their livelihoods and severely limiting access to food and water due to repeated explosions. This is compounded by the failure of warring parties to hand over maps of landmine locations or conduct necessary demining operations.
This has also affected civilians’ food security and access to clean water, increased the risk of preventable diseases, and deprived them of their right to health in an already collapsing healthcare system. This has occurred amid an economic downturn that humanitarian organizations have described for years as the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.
It is unfortunate that the parties responsible for the crime of planting landmines do not make a minimum effort to contribute to the demining process in civilian-populated areas, at least as a symbolic gesture to demonstrate that civilians were not deliberately targeted and to show a desire for security and peace in the areas under their control. This underscores a sense of impunity and reinforces the perception that accountability measures, if they exist, are ineffective.
While the stated purpose of planting landmines may appear to be purely military, their consequences are not limited to causing direct harm, such as casualties. The indirect harm and side effects are equally significant, impacting various sectors such as the economy, education, and agriculture. The spread of landmines hampers economic activity by restricting the movement of people and goods, leading to disruptions in agriculture, trade, and tourism. Landmines also force many schools to close, hindering the educational process and depriving children of their right to education.
Clearing areas that have been rigged with landmines and booby traps in various Yemeni governorates is not an easy task. Several obstacles make the demining process arduous and hazardous, in addition to being extremely costly and requiring specialized equipment and qualified experts. This is compounded by Yemen's severe economic crisis, making securing the necessary funding for demining operations difficult. Furthermore, the lack of precise information on the locations where landmines have been planted and the rough terrain in many areas where mines have been deployed extensively represents another significant barrier to demining efforts in the near term.
The use of anti-personnel landmines is prohibited under Article 1 of the Mine Ban Treaty (Ottawa Treaty) of 1997 and its related protocols, which ban the use, production, stockpiling, transfer, and movement of landmines. Yemen is a party to this treaty, which was ratified in 1999 and entered into force in March 2003. Additionally, international humanitarian law prohibits the use of indiscriminate weapons or the launching of indiscriminate attacks against civilians and civilian objects. Landmines, being inherently indiscriminate weapons, violate the principle of distinction. The principles of international humanitarian law mandate avoiding unnecessary suffering, while landmines cause long-term suffering and damage that persists beyond the end of conflicts. This makes their use prohibited under international humanitarian law, and deploying them in conflicts constitutes a flagrant violation of the rules and principles of this field of law. The use of landmines and other explosive devices is also banned under Article 7 of the protocol attached to the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons, which can be deemed excessive.
Mwatana for Human Rights called on the responsible parties, particularly the Ansar Allah (Houthi) group, to adhere to binding international treaties that prohibit the indiscriminate use of landmines, initiate demining efforts, and mark mined areas with warning signs to prevent further civilian casualties.
Mwatana also urged the international community and relevant stakeholders to assist Yemen in eliminating landmines, support peace efforts, and hold accountable those responsible for this and other violations against civilians. It emphasized the importance of supporting and strengthening the efforts of non-governmental organizations and civil society in training specialized teams, raising civilian awareness about the dangers of landmines, rehabilitating victims, and coordinating ongoing monitoring efforts.
