Prologue: A Deadly Game of Hopscotch
In the village of Masahan, Haydan District, Saada, three children were playing near a field concealing a deadly object—perhaps a landmine or a cluster bomb. On February 28, 2025, silence was shattered by an explosion that tore through their small bodies and those of their parents. The injured mother recalls, “I saw their school shoes scattered in pieces.”

But the real shock came later: Houthi-run Al-Masirah TV mourned the victims as casualties of “Saudi coalition remnants,” while the pro-government Yemen Daily claimed the explosion was caused by “a Houthi-planted mine.” What both narratives lacked was any field investigation or evidence.

Remnants” as a Mechanism of Denial

A report by the Rasd Coalition reveals a disturbing pattern in Houthi-controlled areas: spontaneous accusations without investigation. The Houthis blame “Coalition remnants” without forensic teams or photographic evidence. The government counters with “Houthi mines,” also without professional verification.

Both sides reject legal mechanisms. The Houthis have blocked independent international investigations, including UN teams since 2016. The area remains uncleared, despite 876 civilian injuries from mines between 2022–2025—70% of them children. “Accusations are fired like bullets in the dark. No one seeks the truth; everyone seeks justification.”

Half a Million Mines and a Crime Multiplied by Disinformation
The numbers are staggering: 500,000 mines planted across Yemen, according to the legitimate government. In Sa’da, 90% of explosions are falsely attributed to “war remnants,” despite full Houthi control and their refusal to allow independent investigations.

The greater crime is systematic media manipulation: turning victims into political statistics. The first crime is planting indiscriminate mines in civilian areas. The second is denying victims the right to know who harmed them.

Nameless Children, Unpunished Killers

The Masahan children’s tragedy is not an isolated incident—it’s a model of crimes committed under a regime of denial. With international investigations blocked and narratives fabricated, the truth is buried. UN statistics show 62% of mine victims in Sa’da are children.

Rasd Coalition calls on:

– The international community to form an independent investigation committee for Sa’da’s mines.

– Human rights organizations to classify media disinformation as a war crime.

– Both the Houthi group and the Yemeni government to disclose minefield maps before more lives are lost.

“The children weren’t just physically wounded. Their right to a name and a truth was shattered.”

Disinformation as a Globalized Weapon of War

Houthis context manipulation, where they present partial truths and omitting key facts (e.g., ignoring their control over mined areas).

Today, these tactics have evolved through social media. A 2024 Oxford study found that false narratives spread six times faster than verified facts, aided by bots and fake accounts.

Human Rights Watch warned in 2023: “Misinformation in conflict zones increases civilian deaths by 40%, as it delays rescue and clearance operations.”

Misinformation: A Weapon That Kills Twice

A joint Stanford–Harvard study (2025) concluded:

Institutionalized impunity: 78% of crimes shrouded in disinformation are never investigated by the UN.

Double victimization: physically, through delayed medical aid (as in Mashan), and morally, through defamation (accusing victims of “collaboration”).

Dr. Elena Garcia, UN war crimes expert, states:  “When truth is stolen, justice is murdered in its cradle.”

Conclusion: Sa’da’s Mines—An Open Wound

On February 28, 2025, a landmine exploded in Mashan, Sa’da—under full Houthi control—injuring three children and their parents. The Houthi propaganda machine claimed it was a “Coalition remnant,” yet continues to block investigations and evidence. This is not an isolated case: 62% of mine victims in Sa’da are children, and 90% of incidents are falsely attributed to war remnants.

The danger lies not only in lies, but in their institutionalization. From terminology manipulation (“remnants” vs. “mines”) to impunity (78% of disinformation-shrouded crimes go uninvestigated), and delayed rescue (civilian deaths rise 40% due to misinformation), the pattern is clear.

Victims are reduced to silent numbers in a political battle. Their families are robbed of justice. The UN, international community, and Yemeni government must act—because Sa’da’s children are being buried alive beneath the rubble of propaganda.

“The Masahan tragedy is a bitter reminder: war doesn’t just kill childhood with explosions—it strangles truth with lies.” Rasd Coalition