Landmine explosion kills 3, including 2 children in Yemen

By Mehmet Nuri Ucar, Shukri Hussein, and Ali Semerci

ABYAN, Yemen / ISTANBUL (AA) - A landmine explosion in Yemen's strategic port city of Hudaidah killed three civilians, including two children, and wounded one more child.

The mine, planted on a road in the Hays district, exploded when civilians were passing by, according to local sources.

Its explosion left Halil Vahib, 12, Sabir Mashur, 15, Mustafa Ashebi, 35, dead, and injured another 12-year-old child.

A separate blast that occurred in the southern city of Abyan killed one and injured five members of the forces of the separatist Southern Transitional Council (STC).

According to previous statements by Yemeni officials, more 2 million landmines dot the war-torn country.

The Saudi Project for Landmine Clearance (MASAM) in Yemen announced on Dec. 4 that it had managed to defuse more than 375,000 explosives including, landmines planted across Yemen.

Yemen's civil war began in September 2014 when Iran-aligned Houthi rebels captured much of the country, including the capital, Sanaa. A military coalition led by Saudi Arabia entered the war in early 2015 to restore the government.