Azerbaijan reveals mine explosion casualties in liberated areas Since end of second Karabakh war

Chairman of the Mine Action Agency of the Azerbaijan Republic (ANAMA) Vugar Suleymanov has said that since the end of the second Karabakh war, 377 people have been injured by landmines in Azerbaijan, 69 of them died.

“Approximately 156,000 hectares of land have been cleared to date, uncovering over 151,000 landmines and unexploded ordnance,” Suleymanov said, Caliber.Az reports citing the local media.

"Unfortunately, the number of mine casualties continues rising. While the frequency of incidents is decreasing, they still occur. Since the end of the war, 69 people have been killed, and 377 have been affected by landmines," he added.

Following the 2020 second Karabakh war, Azerbaijan gained control of territories that had been occupied by Armenian forces for nearly three decades. However, a significant challenge remained - extensive mine contamination. These mines pose a big threat to civilians attempting to return to their houses and livelihoods, as well as hindering reconstruction efforts.

The Azerbaijani government launched extensive mine clearance operations shortly after the war ended in November 2020. ANAMA is leading the demining efforts. ANAMA has deployed specialists and advanced equipment from various countries, including Türkiye, UK, Slovakia, and Croatia.

In July 2024, over 1,184 hectares of territory in Azerbaijan's liberated regions were fully cleared of mines by the Azerbaijani Army’s Engineering Troops, according to a report from the Azerbaijani Defence Ministry.

To date, the engineer-sapper units have cleared 39,721 hectares of land in these areas. They have detected and destroyed a total of 13,045 pieces of unexploded military ammunition, 3,318 anti-tank mines, and 10,463 anti-personnel mines.

Ongoing efforts include restoring social infrastructure and ensuring safety, with a focus on expediting road and infrastructure development in Azerbaijan's recently liberated areas.