Some 12 million landmines implanted in Yemen

The Yemeni prime minister Abdul Qader Bajmal has announced that the number of land mines which was implanted in Yemen during the internal conflicts and war periods since 1994 is estimated at 12 million land mines and explosive shells and that some 6,000 persons were killed or wounded in the explosions that took place because many of these mines.

In a press conference he held in Sanaa on Tuesday, Bajmal said that Yemen had witnessed great drastic events because of the mines implanted in several areas of its lands, noting that the existence of the mines means continued aggression against man.

The Yemeni prime minister also stressed the importance of expanding the base of aid for the Yemeni program to dismantle mines which started in October 1998 and has been so far able to dismantle 65,000 mines.

Bajmal urged international organizations and countries which are participating in financing of the program to increase the volume of training and provide the programs with modern techniques and equipment in order to dismantle mines and to double the number of military teams specialized in dismantling mines.