Azerbaijan commemorates International Mine Awareness Day with ongoing demining efforts

Today, April 4, marks International Mine Awareness Day and Assistance in Mine Action, an occasion dedicated to raising awareness about the dangers posed by landmines and explosive remnants of war, as well as supporting efforts to remove these threats.

This observance was officially proclaimed by United Nations General Assembly Resolution No. 60/97 on December 8, 2005, Caliber.Az reports via local media.

Landmines, unexploded ordnance, and improvised explosive devices (IEDs) continue to cause fatalities and injuries worldwide, particularly in conflict zones. According to United Nations (UN) data, every hour, on average, one person is either killed or injured by such explosive devices. Many of the victims are children.

The growing use of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) has become a major global concern, posing a direct threat to civilian populations, humanitarian missions, and international organizations operating in post-conflict regions.

Azerbaijan has been severely affected by the landmine threat as a result of the nearly 30-year occupation of its territories by Armenia. Even after the end of the conflict, the continued placement and presence of landmines by the Armenian side not only delays reconstruction and infrastructure development in the liberated territories but also prevents displaced Azerbaijani families from returning to their homes. Moreover, these mines pose a severe and ongoing danger to the lives of civilians.

Despite the conclusion of the 44-day Patriotic War, Armenia continued to use the Lachin corridor for illegal activities, including transporting and planting new mines on Azerbaijani territory. Evidence of this was discovered in 2022, when more than 2,700 anti-personnel mines — manufactured in Armenia in 2021 — were uncovered in the Lachin and Kalbajar districts.

The devastating impact of mine contamination in Azerbaijan has been immense. Since 1991, more than 3,400 people in Azerbaijan have fallen victim to landmine explosions, including 359 children and 38 women.

The vast majority of mine incidents have occurred outside former frontlines, particularly in civilian-populated areas, infrastructure zones, and even cemeteries. This pattern indicates that Armenia’s mine deployment strategy was deliberately aimed at increasing civilian casualties.

These actions reflect a broader pattern of ethnic hostility and intolerance toward Azerbaijanis. The strategic placement of landmines in civilian areas suggests an intentional effort to inflict harm on returning Azerbaijani families and hinder post-war reconstruction.

Despite repeated international calls for Armenia to provide accurate minefield maps, the Armenian government initially denied their existence. Only after intense international pressure did Armenia reluctantly hand over some minefield maps, but these maps covered only a fraction of the mined areas and were found to be only 25% accurate.

In fact, more than 55% of recent mine-related incidents have occurred outside the zones covered by the maps provided by Armenia, further proving the limited reliability of the data given.

Azerbaijan is making significant efforts to clear its liberated territories of landmines. The leading organization responsible for mine clearance, reconstruction, and the safe return of displaced Azerbaijanis is the Azerbaijan National Agency for Mine Action (ANAMA).

ANAMA was officially established by a presidential decree on January 15, 2021, following the restructuring of the National Agency for Mine Clearance, which had been operating since 1998.

The agency has a strong track record of cooperation with international mine action organizations and strictly adheres to International Mine Action Standards (IMAS). As a result, all territories cleared by ANAMA receive internationally recognized certification.

ANAMA employs a variety of demining methods to ensure efficient and thorough mine clearance, including:

• Manual demining by highly trained personnel

• Mechanical demining using specialized clearance machines

• Mine detection dogs (MDDs) trained to locate hidden explosive devices

In collaboration with international partners, ANAMA is actively working on:

• Expanding mine clearance operations

• Implementing new demining technologies

• Providing training programs for specialists

Through these combined efforts, Azerbaijan remains committed to eliminating the landmine threat, accelerating post-war reconstruction, and ensuring the safe return of its displaced citizens to their rightful homes.

By Tamilla Hasanova