Azerbaijani mine action agency defuses over 790 mines, munitions in less than a week

By Azernews

By Vugar Khalilov

The Azerbaijani Mine Action Agency (ANAMA) has defused some 792 mines and unexploded ordnances in the liberated land from June 6 to 11, Azernews reports, citing the agency.

During the demining operations, the agency discovered 96 anti-personnel, 11 anti-tank mines, and 685 unexploded ordnances in Tartar, Aghdam, Fuzuli, Shusha, Gubadli, Jabrayil, and Zangilan regions, the report elaborates.

Some 544-ha-area was cleared of mines and unexploded ordnances during the period in question.

Armenia alleged it handed over to Azerbaijan all minefield maps of liberated territories following the talks through the mediation of the Russian Defence Ministry on December 4, 2021.

Earlier, Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov stated that the low accuracy of Armenia's minefield maps of Azerbaijani liberated territories slows the mine-clearance process.

"The demining operations are underway, but people are still losing their lives. From the end of the 44-day Second Karabakh War to the present, over 200 people have become victims of mine explosions in liberated lands," Bayramov said at that point.

He added that the high mine contamination of the liberated territories hinders the return of former internally displaced persons to their native lands.

ANAMA, along with partner countries, is carrying out demining activities on its liberated territories. Moreover, the State Border Service and the Defense Ministry are also engaged in demining activities in the liberated lands.

Armenia deliberately and constantly planted mines on Azerbaijani territories, in violation of the 1949 Geneva Convention, thereby being a major threat to regional peace, security, and cooperation.