SANAA — Yemen has been ranked as the third highest country in the world for landmine and explosive remnants of war (ERW) casualties, according to a recent report by the European Union’s Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations. 

The alarming designation underscores the devastating legacy of nearly a decade of conflict and the urgent need for intensified demining efforts.

The report highlights that thousands of civilians—many of them children—have been killed or maimed by landmines planted across vast swathes of territory, particularly in the governorates of Taiz and Hodeidah. 

These areas have seen some of the fiercest fighting between Houthi forces and the internationally recognized government, leaving behind a deadly trail of hidden explosives.

“Landmines continue to claim lives long after the fighting has moved on,” the EU report stated, warning that the contamination is not only a humanitarian crisis but also a major obstacle to recovery, displacement returns, and access to basic services.

Humanitarian organizations operating in Yemen, including the Saudi-funded MASAM demining project, have removed tens of thousands of mines, but the scale of contamination remains overwhelming. 

The Danish Refugee Council and other NGOs have called for increased international funding and technical support to expand clearance operations and provide assistance to survivors.

The EU emphasized that landmine contamination in Yemen is among the worst globally, and that sustained international cooperation is essential to protect civilians and restore safe access to homes, schools, and farmland.