EU delegation visits Azerbaijan's Aghdam to observe demining efforts PHOTO

A delegation from the European Union, including high-ranking officials from the European External Action Service (EEAS), visited Aghdam to assess ongoing demining operations in areas liberated from occupation.

The visit aimed to provide firsthand insight into the scale of landmine contamination and the extensive clearance efforts being conducted by Azerbaijani authorities, Caliber.Az reports, citing local media.

The delegation included Deputy Secretary-General of the EEAS for Economic and Global Issues Simon Mordue, EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus and the Crisis in Georgia Magdalena Grono, Head of Division at EEAS Dorota Dlouchy, EU Ambassador to Azerbaijan Peter Michalko, and other officials. During their visit to the mobile field camp of the Azerbaijan National Agency for Mine Action (ANAMA), they were briefed on the impact of landmine contamination and the progress of clearance operations.

According to ANAMA Chairman Vugar Suleymanov, from November 2020 to April 2, 2025, demining efforts in Karabakh and East Zangezur have resulted in the clearance of 190,194.9 hectares of land. A total of 191,600 landmines and explosive remnants of war have been detected and neutralized, including 36,479 anti-personnel mines, 21,607 anti-tank mines, and 133,514 unexploded ordnance (UXO).

In Aghdam District specifically, 35,909.5 hectares have been cleared, with 31,114 mines and UXO removed. The demining efforts have facilitated infrastructure development, including the clearance of the Barda–Aghdam railway, major highways, the Aghdam Industrial Park, agricultural lands, orchards, and other key sites.

The delegation was also briefed on the humanitarian impact of landmines. Over the past three decades, more than 3,400 people in Azerbaijan have fallen victim to landmines, including 359 children and 38 women. Since the end of the 2020 war, mine explosions have resulted in 384 casualties, with 70 fatalities and 314 injuries.

During their visit to the village of Saryjaly, the EU officials observed demining operations firsthand. ANAMA representatives highlighted that clearance activities adhere to International Mine Action Standards (IMAS), employing a combination of manual deminers, mechanical demining equipment, and mine-detection dogs.

The delegation also witnessed a controlled detonation of mines found in the area, providing them with a practical demonstration of the challenges and risks associated with demining operations. Their visit underscored the importance of international cooperation in addressing the long-term consequences of landmine contamination and supporting the safe reconstruction of liberated territories.

By Khagan Isayev