2014 Yemen Civil War

Landmine Use in the 2014 Yemen Civil War

Houthi-aligned forces used antipersonnel, anti-vehicle, and improvised landmines in Yemen after the war widened in 2015, with documented minefields in Aden, Taizz, Marib, the western coast, and Hodeidah.

Weapon profileLandmine
SideHouthi-aligned forcesRoleArea DenialInterdictionForce ProtectionInsurgent / Guerrilla Use
Landmine, Explosive ground mine, Infantry Weapons - 2014 Yemen Civil War
Image source: Wikimedia Anti-Personnel Mine Photo

Evidence Map

ClaimSources
Houthi-Saleh forces used antipersonnel and anti-vehicle mines in at least six governorates after the Saudi-led coalition entered the war.

Sources: HRW Houthi-Saleh Forces Using Landmines

Houthi forces used landmines widely along Yemen's western coast from mid-2017, including antipersonnel mines and anti-vehicle mines affecting civilians and aid access.

Sources: HRW Houthi Landmines Kill Civilians Block Aid

Houthi forces employed improvised landmines and IEDs on Yemen's west coast, with evidence of domestic production.

Sources: CAR Mines and IEDs on Yemen's West Coast, Yemen Mine Ban Policy

Landmines continued to produce civilian casualties and livelihood restrictions after local front-line fighting had eased.

Sources: HRW Houthi Landmines Claim Lives, Mwatana Fields of Death

Timeline

Landmine In 2014 Yemen Civil War

  1. Mines reported after Houthi-Saleh withdrawal from Aden

    Human Rights Watch reported that Houthi-Saleh forces laid anti-vehicle and antipersonnel landmines as they withdrew from Aden in July 2015.

    Sources: HRW Houthi-Saleh Forces Using Landmines

  2. Improvised mines cleared near Mokha

    YEMAC cleared improvised mines from civilian roads near Mokha after Houthi-Saleh forces withdrew from the area, according to Human Rights Watch reporting.

    Sources: HRW Houthi-Saleh Forces Using Landmines

  3. CAR reports Houthi mine production and west-coast use

    Conflict Armament Research reported that Houthi forces employed landmines and IEDs on Yemen's west coast and that many were improvised and domestically produced.

    Sources: CAR Mines and IEDs on Yemen's West Coast

  4. HRW reports widespread western-coast mine use

    Human Rights Watch reported widespread Houthi landmine use along Yemen's western coast since mid-2017, including civilian harm and blocked humanitarian access.

    Sources: HRW Houthi Landmines Kill Civilians Block Aid

  5. HRW documents continuing post-front-line casualties

    Human Rights Watch reported that landmines laid by Houthi forces and others continued to kill and injure civilians where active hostilities had ceased, including around Taizz.

    Sources: HRW Houthi Landmines Claim Lives

Documented Use

Direct proof of use

Human Rights Watch documented Houthi-Saleh or Houthi landmine use in the 2014 Yemen Civil War across multiple governorates, including Aden, Taizz, Marib, Sanaa, Hodeidah, and areas of the western coast. Its 2017 investigation identified antipersonnel and anti-vehicle mines laid as Houthi-Saleh forces withdrew from Aden in July 2015, mine incidents in Taizz, Marib, and Sanaa, and improvised antipersonnel mines cleared near Mokha in February 2017.

Conflict Armament Research separately reported that landmines and IEDs were being employed by Houthi forces on Yemen's west coast, and that many documented mines were improvised and domestically produced. Landmine and Cluster Munition Monitor later summarized evidence that Houthi forces were mass producing improvised antipersonnel mines and associated victim-activated triggering devices.

Sources: HRW Houthi-Saleh Forces Using Landmines, CAR Mines and IEDs on Yemen's West Coast, Yemen Mine Ban Policy

Timeline

The documented conflict-use record begins after the Saudi-led coalition entered the war in March 2015. Human Rights Watch reported that Houthi-Saleh forces laid antipersonnel and anti-vehicle mines while withdrawing from Aden in July 2015, documented additional Taizz incidents from 2015 and 2016, and reported that YEMAC cleared mines from areas near Mokha after Houthi-Saleh forces retreated in early 2017.

By April 2019, Human Rights Watch described widespread Houthi mine use along Yemen's western coast since mid-2017. In 2024, Human Rights Watch reported that landmines laid by Houthi forces and others continued to kill or injure civilians in areas where active hostilities had eased, including al-Shaqb near Taizz.

Narrative

Landmines in the Yemen war served as defensive obstacles, route-denial weapons, and withdrawal hazards. HRW reporting ties mine emplacement to Houthi-Saleh withdrawals from Aden and Mokha, static front lines around Nihm and Taizz, and later western-coast fighting. The documented mine types included conventional antipersonnel mines such as GYATA-64 and PPM-2, anti-vehicle mines, and improvised victim-activated devices.

The strongest public attribution is to Houthi-aligned forces. Human Rights Watch attributed the cases it investigated to Houthi-Saleh or Houthi forces, while Mwatana reported that in its documented cases landmine use was limited to Ansar Allah and pro-Saleh forces. Human Rights Watch also noted that AQAP had used improvised mines, but the parent catalog row for this page is limited to the source-backed Houthi-aligned conflict-use claim.

The humanitarian effects were part of the weapon's conflict role. HRW reported that mines placed in farmlands, villages, wells, and roads killed and injured civilians, restricted returns, and blocked access to aid and livelihoods. Mwatana's 2024 report reviewed civilian landmine incidents from 2016 through 2024 and described lasting contamination as civilians returned to mined areas after front-line fighting had declined.

Sources: HRW Houthi-Saleh Forces Using Landmines, HRW Houthi Landmines Kill Civilians Block Aid, HRW Houthi Landmines Claim Lives, Mwatana Fields of Death

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Sources