Two victims and a mine rolled away by the flood
Al-Sahi area in Damnat Khadir District, Taiz Governorate, is one of the regions contaminated with landmines that are washed away by floodwaters, posing a significant threat to the lives and peace of civilians. Locals report that Ansar Allah (Houthi) fighters are responsible for planting these mines in the mountains. During the rainy season, floods randomly sweep some of these mines into valleys and agricultural lands, endangering residents and livestock.
Al-Sahi has been a frontline between the forces of the Southern Transitional Council and the Ansar Allah group (Houthis) since 2018. Most of its residents have been displaced to safer areas, but a small number of families have remained due to deteriorating living conditions and poverty. These families face constant dangers threatening their lives.
One such family that chose to stay despite the risks is that of nine-year-old Ahmed Mansour Ahmed. This family relies on agriculture and collecting firewood, as they have no alternative source of income to afford renting a house in a safer location.
On Wednesday, May 15, 2024, while Ahmed and his father, Mansour Ahmed Mohammed (44 years old), were collecting firewood in the valley (the flood channel in the area), Mansour came across an anti-vehicle mine swept to the area by floodwaters. Mansour decided to remove the mine to prevent harm to others. However, after he managed to separate the detonator from the mine, the detonator exploded, amputating the fingers of his left hand and injuring him with shrapnel in various parts of his body. Ahmed, who was standing nearby, was also injured by shrapnel in his arms and legs.
Locals rushed to help and transported the father and son to a field hospital in the "Karsh" area of Al-Qabaita District, Lahj Governorate. After receiving first aid, they were transferred to the Doctors Without Borders Hospital in Aden Governorate for further treatment.
Maneh Hassan Al-Sagheer (35 years old), who assisted the victims during treatment, said:
“Mansour’s family is one of the poorest in the area. Due to their dire living conditions, they were unable to relocate, and the head of the family couldn’t even afford treatment for himself or his injured son.”
He continued:
“There was a painful moment while Ahmed was being treated at the hospital. When the doctor began examining him, he took scissors to cut Ahmed’s pants to access his leg injuries. At that moment, Ahmed shouted, ‘Don’t cut my pants; I don’t have anything else.’ Because of the family’s extreme poverty, this child only had the clothes he was wearing!”
With emotion, he added:
“We were all deeply moved by this situation and felt regret and pain for the suffering and poverty this family endures. When the doctor heard Ahmed’s plea, he threw the scissors aside, his eyes brimming with tears.”
It is noteworthy that Mansour has another child, Jaafar Mansour (14 years old), who was also injured by shrapnel during the same incident. Jaafar’s injuries, however, were minor compared to those of his father and brother. He sustained two pieces of shrapnel below his legs from the back.
At the time of the explosion, Jaafar was a few meters away from the site of the blast that injured his father and younger brother. Neither the paramedics nor his family initially noticed his injuries, and even Jaafar himself was unaware due to the shock of the tragedy and his fear for his brother and father’s severe injuries.
That evening, Jaafar began to feel pain in the areas where he had been injured. It was then that his family discovered his wounds. That night, Jaafar could not sleep because of the pain.
The next day, some relatives took him to a nearby health unit in the "Al-Dahi" area of Al-Qabaita District, Lahj Governorate, where he received first aid, bandaging, and sedatives. Over time, his condition improved.
Mwatana for Human Rights urges all parties to the conflict to immediately stop planting mines in all their forms and to take urgent steps to clear areas contaminated with mines, including areas where mines have been displaced due to floodwaters, in order to prevent further civilian casualties. Mwatana calls on the international community to establish an international criminal investigation mechanism to ensure accountability for violators, hold them accountable, and provide justice for the victims.
