By Neelam Rahim

Yemenis have become so desperate they are digging up and selling land mines as booty of war. This is after years of hunger and economic hardship. These land mines have become a currency, and people are willing to risk their lives to exchange the deadly metal for cash.

Joining the discussion with Radio Islam International is a journalist at the National New Agency in the UAE, Nadar Tahir, who has a keen interest in stories in the Middle East.

Its recent floodings have unearthed these mines in Yemen. Nada said Yemenis have not been doing very well economically, and many issues were plaguing the country.

According to Nada, everything has been exacerbated in its eight years of war. Twenty-three billion people in Yemen require some form of assistance; added to that are 4 million people displaced as well.

She says the people live in tents, mud huts and homes that cannot withstand any natural disaster. Flooding has become an annual event in Yemen due to climate change or other reasons. People have very little already and even lost that in some instances.

“It’s no wonder that they are getting increasingly desperate for money and finding different ways to make ends meet; despite the aid being received it cannot reach everybody.”

The mines are being placed in vital locations for Yemenis. That’s schools and even outside of mosques, including in wells.

Nada said it is pretty tragic as these mines are everywhere, and Yemenis have found a way to make some cash out of it.

In some cases, Nada further stated that these mines had been sold in the black market for $20 apiece.

There are two types of mines found in Yemen, anti-tank and anti-personnel. Both are relatively dangerous. Some people are stockpiling these mines, trying to do business out of them.

The anti-personnel mines, designed only to injure the person that steps on them, are banned by an international treaty.

Meanwhile, the Hutis have essentially been modifying the anti-tank mines and using them in an anti-personnel capacity, as per Nada.

Listen to the interview on Radio Islam’s podcast below.