UN Reports Surge in Landmine Casualties in Yemen’s Hodeidah Province

The United Nations Mission to Support the Hodeidah Agreement (UNMHA) reported a 122% increase in civilian casualties in Yemen’s Hodeidah province due to landmines and explosive remnants of war during August. The mission made the announcement on X, the social platform formerly known as Twitter.

The incidents primarily occurred in southern districts such as al-Durayhimi, al-Garrahi, Hays, Bayt al-Faqih, and al-Hawak. Notably, children make up over 30% of the casualties nearly every month, according to the statement.

Hodeidah province, largely under Houthi rebel control, has been heavily impacted by landmines since the onset of the Yemeni civil war in late 2014. Yemeni demining experts have estimated that more than 1 million landmines have been laid in the region.

The UNMHA was established in 2018 following a United Nations-brokered peace deal between the Yemeni government and Houthi rebels, aimed at preventing a full-scale attack on Hodeidah—a crucial point for commercial imports and humanitarian aid.