Azerbaijan's State Security Service documents hundreds of landmine casualties

Since the conclusion of the Second Karabakh War, a total of 384 individuals have fallen victim to mines.

Lieutenant-General Sharafat Hasanov, Deputy Head of the State Security Service of Azerbaijan, stated that 231 landmine incidents have been recorded since the cessation of hostilities, resulting in 70 fatalities and 314 injuries, Caliber.Az reports per local media.

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.

Meanwhile, Hasanov further remarked that Armenia is refusing to disclose the locations of burial sites of missing persons as a result of Karabakh war, citing various reasons. He highlighted the aftermath of Armenia's aggression, which led to the destruction of over 900 settlements, causing billions in damages and contaminating 10,000 hectares of land with mines and unexploded ordnance.

He also reported that 107 individuals were killed after being captured and tortured. The majority of the information regarding the missing is in Armenia's hands, with many of the field commanders still alive in Armenia.

The "Assessment Report: Accounting for Missing Persons in the Republic of Azerbaijan" was presented by the International Commission on Missing Persons at an event attended by Azerbaijani government officials, international representatives, and NGOs.

By Aghakazim Guliyev