At least three children were killed and four others injured in a landmine explosion in Yemen’s southern Lahj province on Monday, a government official told Xinhua.
The local official, who asked to remain anonymous, said that the blast occurred near a displacement camp housing hundreds of families who have fled violence in other parts of the war-ravaged Arab country.
He said the children triggered the explosive device while playing near their tents.
The incident comes as Saudi Arabia’s Project Masam reported earlier in the day that it has cleared over 784 landmines between Feb. 3 and 9. which were planted by the Houthis across Yemen.
Project Masam was launched in 2018 to clear routes for humanitarian aid and protect civilians from explosives planted by the Houthi group. The initiative has removed over 431,000 landmines from multiple provinces.
Yemeni officials said the landmines have caused hundreds of civilian casualties and blocked vital aid shipments.
Monday’s blast is the latest tragedy highlighting the ongoing threat posed by unexploded ordnance littered across Yemen by the warring parties.
Yemen has been embroiled in a civil war since 2014, with the Houthis fighting against the internationally-recognized Yemeni government. The Saudi Arabia-led coalition intervened in the conflict in support of the Yemeni government in 2015.
