Mine-clearance workers trapped in besieged Yemeni city of Taiz

A British aid organization has expressed alarm over the plight of its workers stranded in the Yemeni city of Taiz, which is currently under siege by the Iran-backed Houthis. The rebels have severed the city's supply routes from Aden, following their recent seizure of the crucial port city of Mokha. While Yemeni government forces, supported by Saudi Arabia, recaptured Mokha on Monday, Taiz remains under siege, trapping an estimated 30 Halo Trust demining staff members.

Some of the Halo staff members have fled to Aden, but those remaining are unable to leave until the road access to the city is restored. Halo Trust's Yemen director Mara van der Kamp revealed that some evacuated staff members chose to stay despite the difficult decision. Displacement shelters in nearby Lahj, situated along the route from Taiz to Aden, are overcrowded with civilians.

The situation in Taiz is further complicated by the city's dependence on Sanaa for water supplies due to its inadequate infrastructure. The conflict in 2021 already severely impacted the provision of drinking water in Taiz. The ongoing fighting risks exacerbating the water crisis. Halo Trust has had to suspend its mine and explosive clearance operations in Taiz as they are not authorized to operate within Houthi-controlled territories.

Consequently, the teams are being reassigned to Lahj and Ad Dhale in southern Yemen. The organization remains uncertain about when they can resume activities in Taiz. Yemen has the third-highest number of landmine casualties globally over the past decade. The ongoing bombardment with ballistic missiles, rockets, and mortars in and around cities poses an ever-present threat from unexploded ordnance.

Taiz and Mokha have historically witnessed the most severe hazards. In 2024 alone, landmines and ordnance claimed 260 lives, including 44 children, who often encounter these hazards during routine tasks like farming or playing. The continuous fighting in Taiz is expected to cause a "severe" increase in casualties. Van der Kamp warned that renewed hostilities could lead to additional contamination on top of the already significant problem.