Investigation launched after mine blast injures Azerbaijani servicemen

An investigation has been launched by the Kalbajar Military Prosecutor’s Office into the injury of servicemen from a military unit of the Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan following a landmine explosion in the Kalbajar district, AzerNEWS reports.

According to information released by the Military Prosecutor’s Office, the incident occurred while Azerbaijani servicemen were carrying out their official duties in the area.

On May 11, servicemen Mahammad Huseynov and Kamil Gaflanov of the Azerbaijan Armed Forces were injured after stepping on a landmine in the Kalbajar region.

Authorities have launched an inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the explosion.

It is worth noting that Azerbaijan remains one of the countries most heavily contaminated by landmines and unexploded ordnance (UXOs) in the world, posing a major threat to civilians, military personnel, and reconstruction efforts in formerly occupied territories. The overwhelming majority of these mines were planted by Armenian forces during the First Karabakh War in the 1990s and throughout the years of occupation. Since the end of the Second Karabakh War in 2020, mine explosions have continued to claim lives and cause injuries in regions such as Kalbajar, Aghdam, Fuzuli, and Lachin. The widespread contamination has significantly slowed infrastructure projects and the return of internally displaced persons. Azerbaijani authorities continue large-scale demining operations, though experts warn that fully clearing the affected territories could take years.