Yemen: 1,200 Children Harmed by Violence Since Truce, Landmines a Growing Threat

Nearly 1,200 children in Yemen have been killed or injured by ongoing violence since the UN-brokered truce began in April 2022, according to Save the Children, highlighting a disturbing trend of continued suffering despite a reduction in direct combat.

A report released by the organization on the fourth anniversary of the truce indicated that at least 339 children were killed and 843 injured by shelling, gunfire, landmines, and explosive remnants of war. These hazards have become the most significant threat to children's lives across the country.

The report, citing data from the "Civilian Impact Monitoring Project," revealed that approximately 511 children, nearly half of the total casualties, fell victim to landmines and unexploded ordnance. This figure signifies a concerning increase in the danger posed by these weapons compared to the period preceding the truce.

Save the Children 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 risks, coupled with the fact that many children are compelled to engage in dangerous activities such as herding livestock and collecting firewood and scrap metal.

Injuries resulting from explosions frequently lead to permanent disabilities, including limb amputations, spinal cord damage, and vision and hearing loss. Furthermore, these incidents inflict profound psychological trauma, such as chronic anxiety and sleep disturbances, particularly as children's recovery is 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, an increase of 2.8 million people from the previous year, underscoring the deepening humanitarian crisis in the nation.

Rishana Hanifa, Save the Children's Country Director for Yemen, stated that landmines and unexploded ordnance "continue to silently kill and maim children," noting that nearly half of child casualties are from these hidden explosives, which claim lives far from front lines.

The organization warned that escalating regional tensions could trigger a new phase of conflict in Yemen and the Red Sea, potentially reversing the relative progress achieved in recent years. Such a development would exacerbate the humanitarian crisis, drive up food and fuel prices, and disrupt supply chains, including those for vital medical supplies.

Save the Children 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. The organization also called for increased investment in victim support, cautioning that the continuation of the current situation threatens an entire generation of Yemeni children.