SANAA, May 27 (Xinhua) -- Two children were killed and three others were wounded on Saturday when their car hit a landmine in Yemen's northern province of Al-Jawf, according to a local official.
The incident occurred in the al-Masloub district in the southwest of Al-Jawf, approximately 143 km northeast of the capital Sanaa, while the family was on travel, said the source on the condition of anonymity.
Two out of the three children in the family lost their lives, while the parents and the remaining child sustained injuries, he added.
In a recent report, the United Nations stated that landmines and unexploded ordnance (UXOs) had caused 121 civilian casualties in Yemen during the first quarter of 2023.
The report revealed that the majority of these casualties occurred in the governorates of Hodeidah, Al-Jawf, and Marib. Heavy rainfall in these areas dislodged explosive devices, increasing the likelihood of unintentional blasts.
Yemen is plagued by millions of landmines and UXOs scattered across its territory, posing an ongoing threat to the lives and well-being of civilians for years to come, the report added.
Since late 2014, Yemen has been embroiled in a deadly military conflict between the Houthi group and the internationally-recognized government. ■
