Yemen Monitor / Newsroom:
A human rights organization has documented 1,104 deaths among civilians between 2017 and 2026 resulting from the explosion of anti-personnel and anti-vehicle mines planted by the Houthi group.
The Yemeni Network for Rights and Freedoms stated in a recent report, coinciding with the International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action, that it recorded 4,947 cases of human and material damage across various Yemeni governorates from January 2017 to March 2026.
The report explained that the network’s field teams documented 1,104 deaths caused by mine explosions, including 232 children and 98 women. The network also recorded 1,429 injuries, which included 316 children and 171 women.
The report pointed to a long-term humanitarian tragedy experienced by survivors, as these explosions caused permanent disabilities for 693 people, including 252 cases of limb amputation and two cases of total blindness, reflecting the devastating impact of these violations on the future of victims and their families.
Geographically, Taiz Governorate topped the list of the most affected governorates with 198 deaths, followed by Al-Hudaidah (127), Marib (120), Al-Bayda (98), Al-Jawf (97), Lahj (93), Hajjah (71), and Saada (56), while the remaining cases were distributed among other governorates.
Regarding material damage, the network monitored the destruction and bombing of 998 buildings using high-explosive mines, including:
- 712 houses
- 52 schools and educational centers
- 48 government headquarters
- 62 mosques
- 22 commercial shops
The report also documented 368 explosion incidents targeting civilian transportation in 14 governorates, in addition to the booby-trapping of 26 bridges and culverts, 18 water wells, and 46 farms that were completely destroyed.
The network held the Houthi group fully and directly responsible for planting various types of landmines in civilian and populated areas, and the resulting thousands of civilian casualties—including women and children—as well as the widespread destruction of infrastructure and disruption of livelihoods. It called on the international community, including the United Nations and the Security Council, to take a firm stand against these violations.
