The Yemeni authorities said on Wednesday they have removed all landmines from the public offices and schools in Abyan in the south after the victory on Al-Qaeda last month.
After weeks of work, the authorities have removed 80% percent of landmines in Zinjibar, the capital, which were planted by Al-Qaeda militants during the occupation of key towns in Abyan, officials said.
"All public offices and schools are now free from landmines," spokesman for the military committee, Saeed Ubaid, said.
The technical teams will continue their job during Ramadan to help the displaced families return to their homes, Ubaid added.
The remarks were given at a ceremony where senior officials gathered to witness the detonation of 1518 landmines and explosives removed from Abyan.
Scores of civilians and soldiers have been killed in landmine explosions in weeks since families started to come back after driving Al-Qaeda out of their strongholds. Member of the landmine removal committee, Fadhl Ubaid, said the technical teams have also removed landmines from large parts of Jaar, one of the key towns which were seized by Al-Qaeda last year.
This city is now safe and the teams are about to complete their job in Zinjibar and other parts in Abyan, he said.
"Militants planted landmines in a dirty way to kill civilians. Four members of the teams have been killed and three others injured while doing their job," he added.