Onmha: The danger of mines will increase due to the floods in Hodeidah
English - Monday 24 July 2023 الساعة 03:53 pm
Hodeidah, NewsYemen, exclusive:
Al-Hodeidah governorate is one of the most contaminated Yemeni governorates with mines and explosives planted by the Houthi militia - Iran's arm in Yemen, amid the multiplication of civilians who are killed by these dangerous objects.
The United Nations Mission to Support the Hodeidah Agreement (UNMHA) confirmed, in a report issued by it, that mines and remnants of war still pose a great threat to the lives of civilians in Hodeidah, explaining that this risk will increase with the erosion of landmines in the coming months, due to the heavy floods expected at this time of the year in the districts of Hays, Al-Khawkhah and Al-Mocha, as happened last year.
The mission explained that the seasonal floods led to the washing away of mines over long distances due to torrential rains, including anti-vehicle mines, which further endangered civilians, livestock and commercial traffic.
In its report for the month of June, the mission documented 6 incidents of landmines and explosive remnants of war. As a result of these incidents, 8 civilians were killed and wounded, including 5 dead and 3 injured. It explained that the cases in which victims were reported during the month of June were mainly in the districts of: Al-Hali, Hays and Al-Tuhayta.
As usual, the mission contented itself with publishing the statistics of accidents and casualties, ignoring the main party responsible for civilian casualties due to these crimes and violations, represented by the Houthi militia, which planted hundreds of thousands of mines and explosive devices throughout the districts of Hodeidah and the western coast, which caused thousands of civilian casualties.
From the beginning of 2022 until the end of June 2023, the UN mission documented no less than 381 victims; Including 133 dead and 248 wounded as a result of mines and explosive devices left by the Houthi militia in various regions of Hodeidah.
On July 10, the UN Security Council extended the mission of the Hodeidah Agreement Support Mission (UNMHA) for the fifth time. Amid direct UN accusations against the Houthi militia, Iran's arm in Yemen, of being behind obstructing the mission's work over the past years.
A report issued by the Security Council stated that the UN mission in Hodeidah is subject to Houthi restrictions that prevent it from moving and movement and limit the UN mission's ability to implement the 2018 Stockholm Agreement.
