The Houthis use women to lay mines in schools and markets
October 7, 2019, 8:54 am

The Houthis use women to lay mines in schools and markets

Security forces in Yemen's northeastern province of Al-Jawf have seized a women's cell affiliated to the Houthi militias laying mines and improvised explosive devices in popular markets, and civilian gathering areas in Al-Hazm, the capital of the province.

“The security services managed to defuse many of the mines planted by the militias in public markets, road corridors and student schools,” said Colonel Abdullah Al-Bareer, commander of the special security forces in Al-Jawf province.” The Houthi militias have mastered the camouflage and concealment of these mines in a number of ways so that they are difficult to detect and to ensure the greatest number of civilian lives is lost.”

“The expertise and skills acquired by Houthi militias in the manufacture of explosives and the methods of concealing and disguising them have been acquired by experts from Hezbollah and Iran who were sent to Yemen to train militias to kill the Yemeni people through those explosives, mines and explosive devices of various kinds,'' he said.

He added: “The security forces managed to seize a number of cells sent by the Houthi militias to plant mines and IEDs in popular markets and civilian gathering areas in Al-Hazm, the capital of the province. One of those cells was a women's cell with explosives and explosive devices”.

According to a statement published by the media office of a project to clear the mines (Masam) implemented by the King Salman Center for Relief and Humanitarian Action, the Houthi militias planted mines indiscriminately in densely populated areas, killing many civilians mostly women and children.

He said: “The Houthi project is a project of death and destruction aimed at killing Yemenis of various segments.”

He also highlighted the humanitarian role of the Saudi mine clearance project in Yemen, which saved thousands of civilians, secured many areas in Al-Jawf governorate, and enabled displaced people to return to their homes and farms and practice their lives safely.

The head of the human rights office in Al-Jawf governorate Abdul Hadi Al Asar said that Al-Houthi's militias turned Al-Jawf into minefields. The Houthis planted more mines than the population. He said that the “Masam” teams were able to remove more than 17,000 mines and explosive devices from some directorates of Al-Jawf.

The Saudi-launched Demining Project in Yemen, Masam, managed to extract more than 55,000 mines, improvised explosive devices, and unexploded ordnance in the liberated areas from June last year to March in only five governorates. In 2018 alone, the National Army cleared about 500 marine mines.

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).

Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.