By Azernews

By Vugar Khalilov

Ali Shukurov (30) of the Azerbaijan Mine Action Agency was slightly injured in a mine blast in liberated Jabrayil, Azernews reports.

Shukurov hit an anti-personnel mine while carrying out demining activities on June 19, the report adds.

The employee's leg was slightly injured by stone pieces that rose from the ground as a result of the wave of the blast. Shukurov was hospitalized and was soon discharged after undergoing a medical check-up.

The agency once again urges the population to be cautious and watchful due to the mine threats in the liberated territories.

Although about 19 months have passed since the 44-day war between Azerbaijan and Armenia, mines of different types planted by Armenia in the formerly occupied territories continue to endanger human lives in the liberated lands.

Almost every day, there is news of civilians or military personnel being injured or killed as a result of mine explosions in Azerbaijan's liberated lands.

This demonstrates that Armenia maintains its mine warfare against both civilian and military troops in Azerbaijan. According to government sources, almost 80 percent of the minefield maps given by Armenia to Azerbaijan are inaccurate. Armenia appears to be committing war crimes by hiding the sites of landmines, resulting in the deaths of more innocent people.

Azerbaijani presidential aide Hikmat Hajiyev earlier described as accurate only 25 percent of minefield maps provided by Armenia. The Azerbaijani regions liberated from Armenian occupation in the second Karabakh war in 2020 are the most mine-littered region in the world.

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.

In an address to the 6th Eastern Partnership Summit of the European Union in Brussels on December 15, 2021, President Ilham Aliyev said that about 200 people had been killed or injured in mine explosions to that date. In this regard, he stressed the importance of the European Union and member states providing technical and financial assistance to Azerbaijan in eliminating the mine problem.