An additional danger to the lives of civilians
The mountainous areas in Lahj Governorate, interspersed with valleys and located along the frontlines, are among the most polluted by landmines and unexploded ordnance from the remnants of war. During the rainy season, floods wash some of these mines into the valleys, many of which serve as pathways for villagers to reach farmlands.
These areas, which are frontlines between the forces of the Ansar Allah (Houthi) group on one side and the forces of the Southern Transitional Council and the internationally recognized government forces on the other, are among the most threatened by the danger of landmines. These areas include: Al-Qubayta, Tawerbaha, Al-Mussaymir, Al-Mudariba, and Al-Arah.
Throughout the conflict over the past nine years, the Ansar Allah (Houthi) group has planted landmines and explosive devices in these areas, either when withdrawing from certain positions or to fortify their frontlines against attempts to infiltrate the sites they control in the mountains of these regions.
Many of these migratory mines are carried by floods from the mountains to farmlands, as well as to roads in some valleys, which serve as routes for transporting civilians between villages and for students heading to schools. Additionally, some of these mines explode in areas used for livestock grazing.
Since most civilians in these areas and villages rely primarily on agriculture and livestock herding as their means of livelihood, the mines that floods carry to their farmland and livestock pastures have forced some of them to abandon these livelihoods.
Among them: Farmer Hamoud Ahmed Mohammed (62 years old) and his wife, Wilayah Mohammed Salem (58 years old). The incident took place in the Al-Youssefin area, located in Al-Qabaita Directorate, Lahj Governorate, on February 2, 2022, when the victims were plowing their farmland. During this, a landmine, which had been carried by floods to their land, exploded, instantly killing them. The explosion also caused the death of the ox they were using for plowing the land the day after the incident.
On that day, the little girl, Etab, was herding her sheep in the farmland of that area. While doing so, she went to the field to gather grass for the sheep, and in the middle of the field, she found a landmine that had been carried by floods into the field. Driven by curiosity, the child may have attempted to remove the mine from the soil, and as she did, it exploded, killing her instantly.
Several schools have been shut down because the roads leading to them have been contaminated with landmines, either those planted by the Ansar Allah (Houthi) group along the roads or those carried by floods into the valleys. For instance, the 30th of November Basic Education School in Al-Dubi area of Al-Qubayta District, Lahj Governorate, has been closed since 2018 due to its location on the frontlines. The Ansar Allah (Houthi) group also planted mines nearby, and some of them were washed into the valley adjacent to the school by floods.
Not far from the Al-Dubi area, Al-Zubayri Basic Education School is located in the Al-Sarih area of the Al-Qubayta district in Lahj Governorate. The school has been closed for about nine years after the school building was used as a military barracks by the forces of the Southern Transitional Council controlling the area. Consequently, teachers have been forced to hold classes for students beneath flood drainage bridges located under the main road. These bridges, under which the students study, are also used for floodwater drainage coming from the mountains, bringing along landmines. Despite the dangers, the students continue their education under these bridges.
These migratory mines have also hindered people's access to firewood collection sites. The most recent incident occurred on May 15, 2024, at the administrative border between Al-Qabaita District in Lahj and Khadir District in Taiz Governorate, specifically in the Shifan area(al-Sahi), affiliated with Khadir District. The victim, Mansour Ahmed Mohammed (44 years old), was cutting firewood in the valley of the area (flood stream) there he found a mine. When he attempted to remove it, the mine's detonator exploded, causing shrapnel injuries to his body and resulting in the amputation of the fingers on his left hand. His son, Ahmed Mansour (9 years old), was also injured by shrapnel in his limbs, and his other son, Jaafar Mansour (14 years old), was injured by shrapnel in his lower legs.
Additionally, in the flood stream of the Al-Huwaimi area in the Al-Qabaita district, Lahj governorate, an explosive device exploded on Ms. Sabah Salem Ghaleb (37 years old), on May 15, 2018, while the victim was in that place herding her sheep and collecting firewood, the explosion hit her with shrapnel that tore her body into pieces.
In the Al-Shuayb area, located in Al-Qubaita district, Lahj governorate, which has been under the control of the Ansar Allah (Houthi) group for the past nine years, an explosion occurred in the valley of the area namely (flood stream) while two young girls from the locals were fetching water on donkeys from a well located in the area.
It was on March 16, 2019, when the two girls, Ghaida Mahboub Abdo (13 years old) and Omaima Ali Saif (15 years old), were on their way from their village to the well. During that time, an explosion occurred, causing them to be injured by scattered shrapnel, which resulted in the immediate death of Ghidaa, while Omaima passed away five days after the incident.
These mines and remnants of war have also caused casualties among children when they came across flood-prone areas. Driven by curiosity, they often play with these objects, leading to explosions. One such incident occurred in the Al-Sumayta area of the Al-Turbah district, Lahj governorate, on July 27, 2020, when two children, Farsan Mohamed Saleh (5 years old) and his brother Ali Mohamed Saleh (3 years old), found an unexploded object that had been carried by the floodwaters to their farmland. While playing with the object at their home, it exploded, instantly killing Farsan and injuring the other with shrapnel.
On December 23, 2022, in the Razina area of Al-Qabaita District, Lahj Governorate, two children: Zakaria Abdo Ahmed (6 years old) and Muhammad Jamhour Salem (12 years old), found a detonator of a landmine that had been washed away by floods to their farmland. While the two children were playing with the object, it exploded, causing them to be injured by various shrapnel in their limbs.
These mines also hindered access to humanitarian aid. One such incident occurred on the Wadi Road, a torrent channel between the Al-Shuaib and Al-Dubai areas in Al-Qabaita District, Lahj Governorate, on January 19, 2019. The victim, Dalila Abdul Samad (39 years old), was accompanied by her daughter Ghaida Abdo Abdul Baqi (3 years old) and her other child, Azzam Abdo Abdul Baqi (14 years old). They were walking on that road, wanting to go to the Al-Dubai area to receive humanitarian aid from that area. During that time, a landmine exploded, killing the mother, disabling the child Ghaida, and injuring her brother Azzam with shrapnel.
These mines also hindered access to humanitarian aid. One such incident occurred One such incident took place on the valley road (flood stream) between the Al-Shuayb and Al-Dubi areas in the Al-Qubaita district, Lahj governorate, on January 19, 2019. The victim, Dalila Abdul Samad (39 years old), was accompanied by her daughter Ghidaa Abdo Abdul Baqi (3 years old) and her son Azam Abdo Abdul Baqi (14 years old). They were walking on the road, intending to travel to Al-Dubi area to receive humanitarian aid from there. During this, a landmine exploded, killing the mother, disabling the daughter Ghidaa, and injuring her son Azam with shrapnel.
These migrating mines have become an added threat to civilians, with flood-driven traps lying in wait to take innocent lives, especially in areas near the frontlines where fighters affiliated with the Ansar Allah (Houthi) group have randomly planted mines.
Mwatana for Human Rights urges all parties to the conflict to immediately cease the planting of mines in all forms and begin serious efforts to clear mined areas, including those that have been contaminated by the migration of mines due to flooding, to prevent further civilian casualties. Mwatana also calls on the international community to establish an international investigative mechanism with a criminal nature to ensure accountability for the perpetrators and to provide justice for the victims.
