Azerbaijan clears 240,000 hectares of contaminated land since 2020

Azerbaijan has cleared more than 240,000 hectares of land and neutralised over 227,000 landmines and unexploded ordnance (UXO) between 2020 and 2025, according to new data from the Azerbaijan National Agency for Mine Action (ANAMA). 

The large-scale operations were conducted in cooperation with the Ministry of Defence, the Ministry of Emergency Situations, the State Border Service, and several local companies, Caliber.Az reports via ANAMA. 

According to ANAMA, demining efforts were concentrated in areas prioritised for reconstruction and the return of displaced residents. The clearance work has accelerated the rebuilding of housing, infrastructure, and agricultural facilities, enabling the commissioning of new residential zones and farmland. Modern technologies, including unmanned aerial vehicles, were deployed widely throughout the operations.

Since 2020, ANAMA teams have systematically surveyed and cleared extensive territories contaminated with anti-tank and anti-personnel mines, as well as unexploded shells and rockets. The agency emphasised that the primary objective remains restoring civilian safety, facilitating resettlement, and supporting the reconstruction of liberated regions.

Despite ongoing clearance operations, landmines continue to pose a major humanitarian threat. Around 400 people have been killed or injured by landmines in Azerbaijan since the end of the war, bringing the total number of victims to more than 3,400 since the 1990s. Women and children make up a significant portion of the casualties.

By Sabina Mammadli