Yemen: 1,200 Children Affected by Violence Since Truce, Landmines Pose Greatest Threat

Nearly 1,200 children in Yemen have been killed or injured since the UN-brokered truce began in April 2022, underscoring the persistent toll of violence on the country's youth despite a reduction in direct combat. The ongoing impact of conflict, particularly from landmines and unexploded ordnance, continues to pose a severe threat to children's lives across the nation.

A report released by Save the Children on the fourth anniversary of the truce revealed that at least 339 children have been killed and 843 injured due to shelling, gunfire, landmines, and explosive remnants of war. These hazards have emerged as the predominant danger to children's lives throughout Yemen.

Data from the "Civilian Impact Monitoring Project," cited in the report, indicates that approximately 511 children, nearly half of the total casualties, have fallen victim to landmines and unexploded ordnance. This figure highlights a significant increase in the danger posed by these weapons compared to the period preceding the truce.

The organization emphasized that children in Yemen are three times more likely to be injured or killed by these remnants than adults. This heightened vulnerability is attributed to a lack of awareness regarding their dangers and the necessity for many children to engage in hazardous activities such as herding livestock, gathering firewood, and collecting scrap metal.

Injuries resulting from explosions frequently lead to permanent disabilities, including limb amputations, spinal cord damage, and loss of sight and hearing. Furthermore, children suffer profound psychological effects, such as chronic anxiety and sleep disturbances, with their recovery often slower than that of adults.

According to the latest UN figures, approximately 22.3 million people in Yemen, including 12.2 million children, require humanitarian assistance. This represents an increase of 2.8 million individuals from the previous year, signaling a deepening humanitarian crisis in the country.

“Landmines and unexploded ordnance continue to silently kill and maim children,” stated Qorayna Haneefa, Save the Children's Country Director in Yemen. She noted that nearly half of child casualties are a result of these hidden explosives, which claim lives far from the front lines.

Save the Children has warned that escalating regional tensions could trigger a new phase of conflict in Yemen and the Red Sea. Such a development risks undoing the relative progress made in recent years, exacerbating the humanitarian crisis, driving up food and fuel prices, and disrupting supply chains, including those for vital medical supplies.

The organization urged all parties to the conflict to de-escalate, cease the use of explosive weapons in populated areas, and enhance mine clearance and risk awareness programs. Increased investment in victim support was also called for, with a stark warning that the continuation of the current situation threatens an entire generation of Yemeni children.