Azerbaijani mine action agency defuses over 300 mines, munitions in early July

By Azernews

By Vugar Khalilov

The Azerbaijani Mine Action Agency (ANAMA) defused 315 mines and unexploded ordnance in the liberated land on July 4-8, Azernews reports, citing the agency.

During the demining operations, the agency discovered 46 anti-personnel, 5 anti-tank mines, and 264 unexploded ordnances in Tartar, Aghdam, Fuzuli, Shusha, Gubadli, Jabrayil, and Zangilan regions, the report added.

A 586-hectare-area was cleared of mines and unexploded ordnances during the reported period.

Recently, EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus Toivo Klaar stated that the organization will provide an additional €4.25 million to support Azerbaijan’s demining efforts on the liberated territories.

"Pleased that EU as the largest donor is providing additional €4.25 million to Azerbaijan to support demining through the project `Supporting safe return of IDPs through Capacity Building of Mine Action Agency of Azerbaijan’,” Klaar wrote on his Twitter account.

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 said 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.