A UN cover-up for Houthi crimes..mines claim civilian lives in Hodeidah

English - Sunday 19 March 2023 الساعة 02:58 pm
Hodeidah, NewsYemen, exclusive:

A report issued by the United Nations Mission to Support the Hodeidah Agreement (UNMHA) showed an increase in the number of victims of mines and explosives planted by the Houthi militia - Iran's arm - in Hodeidah Governorate, western Yemen.

According to the report of the mission in Hodeidah, the month of February witnessed the occurrence of several incidents of explosions of landmines and explosive remnants of war in several areas in Hodeidah.  These incidents resulted in 21 civilian casualties.  Among the victims were 12 dead, including a woman and 6 children, and 9 wounded (including 5 children).  The victims were distributed among the districts of: Al-Jarrahi, Al-Hali, Al-Durayhimi, Beit Al-Faqih, Al-Tahita, and Hays.

The report indicated that the number of victims in February 2023 increased by 30 percent compared to the same month of 2022, which recorded 16 people.  However, last month's statistic decreased by 9 percent compared to the month of January that preceded it.  Which recorded about 23 dead and wounded people.

According to the UN mission, the Yemeni governorate of Hodeidah remained the most affected by landmines and explosive remnants of war, and said that this had restricted freedom of movement and livelihood activities for the local population, due to the dangers associated with landmines and explosive remnants of war, calling for urgent humanitarian measures, related to  mines and international support for their removal efforts in the province.

These crimes come in light of the UN mission operating in Hodeidah continuing to cover up holding the Houthi militia fully responsible for these crimes, as it is the only party that plants these dangerous explosives.  The reports issued by the mission clearly evade revealing the party that is carrying out mine-laying operations in Hodeidah, and content themselves only with publishing statistics on civilian casualties.

For his part, the head of the UNMHA mission, General Michael Beary, expressed his regret at the continuing incidents of landmines and explosive remnants of war, which affect the most vulnerable groups of the people of Hodeidah, children and women.  General Beary reiterated UNMHA's commitment to coordination, support and advocacy for urgent progress in mine action in the governorate.

The Yemeni Minister of Defense, Lieutenant General Mohsen Muhammad al-Daari, confirmed that the Houthi militia, Iran's arm in Yemen, had planted huge numbers of mines and explosive devices since the beginning of the war in various Yemeni governorates.

The minister added, during a meeting he held recently in the capital, Aden, with the United Nations delegation headed by the United Nations Resident Representative and Humanitarian Coordinator in Yemen, David Gresley, that these dangerous explosives were planted indiscriminately and retaliatory ways, and Yemen will suffer from them for decades to come.  He explained that the armed forces are committed to international and humanitarian norms and conventions, and take into account the non-use and planting of mines, because of their devastating effects on people and the land.

The Daari team pointed out that the National Mine Action Center destroyed hundreds of thousands of mines extracted with the cooperation and support of the brothers in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia through the "Masam" project.