Mine-clearance workers trapped in besieged Yemeni city of Taiz

A British aid organization warns that approximately 30 of its employees are stranded in Taiz, Yemen, currently under siege by the Iran-backed Houthi rebels. The city, located in the southwest of the country, has been cut off from Aden, a key port city, since the Houthi takeover of Mokha, a coastal city on Yemen's western coast.

Yemeni government forces, supported by Saudi Arabia, recaptured Mokha on Monday, but Taiz remains under siege. The demining charity, Halo Trust, expresses concerns over the trapped aid workers, estimating the number of staff members stranded at 30. Some Halo staff members have fled to Aden, while others remain in Taiz, faced with a difficult decision.

The situation in Taiz is further complicated by the lack of access to water, as the city relies on imported supplies from the capital, Sanaa, due to its own inadequate infrastructure. The city's water reserves are uncertain, and the conflict has severely affected its drinking water supply in the past. The renewed fighting on Yemen's west coast has forced Halo Trust to suspend its demining and explosive clearance projects in the area.

The charity is not authorized to operate in Houthi-controlled regions, prompting the relocation of its teams to Lahj and Ad Dhale in southern Yemen. The uncertainty surrounding the resumption of their work in Taiz remains high. Yemen has the third-highest number of landmine casualties worldwide over the past decade. Ballistic missiles, rockets, and mortars are frequent occurrences in and around cities.

The most significant threat from unexploded devices in Yemen is centered around Taiz and Mokha. Children are particularly vulnerable, with landmines and ordnance causing 260 civilian casualties in 2024, including 44 deaths of children. Unexploded devices often pose dangers to children during routine activities, such as farming, herding, or even mistaking explosives for toys.

The ongoing fighting around Taiz is expected to result in a severe increase in casualties. Halo Trust's Yemen director, Mara van der Kamp, states that "weekly accidents from landmines and explosives" are being reported. The renewed fighting poses the risk of creating additional contamination on top of the already significant problem. People displaced from Mokha, who sought refuge in Taiz, primarily in abandoned areas, face an increased risk of exposure to unexploded devices due to their proximity to the front line.