Azerbaijan’s ANAMA holds intensive demining training for military personnel PHOTO

The Azerbaijan Mine Action Agency (ANAMA) has held trainings on “Humanitarian Demining” and “Battlefield Demining” for the personnel of the Ministry of Defense.

The main purpose of the trainings, which lasted more than three weeks, was to improve demining skills on humanitarian demining and clearing mines from combat zones, ANAMA told Caliber.Az.

During the trainings, which took place in a military camp in Aghdam district, the personnel performed tasks on the use of mine detectors, methodology of humanitarian demining and clearing of combat space, use of marking signs, evaluation of detected ammunition, as well as consolidated safety rules.

At the end of the course, participants received certificates from ANAMA.

Since the end of the Second Karabakh War in November 2020, Azerbaijan has faced significant challenges in clearing landmines and unexploded ordnance (UXO) from territories regained during the conflict. The ANAMA has been at the forefront of these efforts, working alongside international partners to address the contamination.

The 2020 conflict resulted in extensive landmine contamination, with then-time estimates suggesting that up to one million landmines might be present in the reclaimed territories.

From the end of the war up until late 2024, there have been 382 landmine victims in Azerbaijan, including 70 fatalities and 312 injuries. Notably, around 70% of these incidents occurred outside the former line of contact, in civilian areas.

By Khagan Isayev