Team:Edinburgh/mapxmlyemen



Yemen <![CDATA[Yemen is contaminated with mines and explosive remnants of war (ERW), primarily unexploded ordnance (UXO), as a result of several conflicts dating back to 1962. Most mines were laid in border areas between northern and southern Yemen, prior to unification. As of August 2008, all governorates were contaminated, with the exception of Aden, Al Hodaida, and Hajjah, all of which had been fully cleared and handed over, and Sana’a and Dhamar, in which clearance was completed but where handover had not yet occurred. Hadramout governorate remained the most affected, although resurvey had significantly reduced the amount of suspected land.

A Landmine Impact Survey (LIS), completed in July 2000, identified 1,078 suspected mined areas totaling 922km2, impacting 592 villages in 18 out of the country’s 21 governorates.

Yemen claims that the mine and ERW problem has had a serious impact on access to critical resources, blocking access to grazing and agricultural land as well as water sources for drinking and irrigation. It has also impeded infrastructure development and implementation of social development projects in affected communities. Most of Yemen’s oil, which contributes more than half of the state budget, is believed to be located in Hadramout; oil exploration has been affected by mines.

In 2007, Landmine Monitor identified at least 26 new mine/ERW casualties in Yemen, including five people killed and 21 injured. Of these, YEMAC recorded 23 new mine/ERW casualties (five killed and 18 injured). YEMAC did not record any mine/ERW casualties in the restive Sa’ada governorate although it was reported in April 2007 that people with mine injuries had been admitted to hospitals during clashes. Yemeni media reported on at least three casualties in Sa’ada during the second half of 2007 (two women and one girl injured). Although there is no confirmation of mine use in Sa’ada, the injuries of the casualties appear to be consistent with those caused by antipersonnel mines/victim-activated devices.

The majority of casualties were civilian (22); two were military and two were deminers. As in 2006, but contrary to previous years, most of the casualties were adults, including four women. Only six casualties were children (three boys and three girls). The three girl casualties occurred while tending animals, traditionally the most risky activity for girls.

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