Azerbaijani sappers demine over 30,000 hectares in liberated lands PHOTO/VIDEO

The Azerbaijani Army’s engineer-sapper units have cleared up to 200 hectares of mines in the liberated territories during June of 2023.

As Caliber.Az reports, citing the Defence Ministry’s website, the units have cleared over 30,890 hectares of mines and unexploded ordnance in the liberated territories to this date.

Moreover, as a result of the Azerbaijan Army’s engineer-sapper units with other state bodies, up to 9 km of new supply roads were built over the current year, and up to 38 km of existing supply roads were repaired in order to ensure the safe movement of vehicle and military equipment convoys in difficult terrain, including difficult-to-pass rocky areas.

The main efforts are aimed at demining settlements, sowing plots, roads, and infrastructure facilities in the liberated territories.

Necessary measures for engineering support are underway in the liberated territories in accordance with the plan.

The Karabakh and East Zangazur regions of Azerbaijan have been heavily mined by Armenia’s forces since the 1990s. Following the Soviet Union’s dissolution in 1991, Armenia launched a full-blown military assault against Azerbaijan.

Since the end of the Second Karabakh War, the Azerbaijani government has been carrying out demining operations in the liberated territories to expedite the return of internally displaced persons.

Despite extensive efforts, demining operations faced many challenges due to Armenia’s refusal to hand over maps displaying the locations of the landmines. Azerbaijan obtained minefield maps from Armenia for the Aghdam, Fuzuli, and Zangilan districts, which were previously occupied, and which reportedly identify the coordinates of 189,000 anti-tank and anti-personnel mines.

Armenia also provided the Azerbaijani side with mine maps of other liberated territories of Azerbaijan. However, ANAMA reported that these maps were just 2 per cent effective in mine action.

International experts estimate that it will take nearly 30 years and $25 billion to solve issues related to demining.