European Azerbaijan Centre urges global action on ongoing mine threats Hold Armenia accountable!

The European Azerbaijan Centre, based in Germany, has made an urgent appeal to international organizations following a series of devastating mine explosions on April 6 and 7, which injured five individuals, including children, in Azerbaijan’s liberated but mine-contaminated regions. 

The call highlights the continued peril posed by landmines deliberately planted by Armenia during its occupation of Azerbaijani territories.

According to the appeal, this tragic incident underscores the persistent dangers these mines pose, a reality that has plagued the region since the conclusion of the Second Karabakh War in November 2020, Caliber.Az reports via local media.

According to the Centre’s statement, 392 people have either lost their lives or been injured due to landmine explosions since the war ended, a stark reminder of the lingering threat.

While Azerbaijan has made considerable progress in demining efforts, the process is far from straightforward. A major challenge is Armenia’s refusal to provide crucial minefield maps. During nearly 30 years of occupation, millions of landmines were buried across the Azerbaijani territories. Yet, the maps — if they exist at all — are incomplete, inaccurate, or entirely absent, slowing down demining efforts and posing significant risks to both civilian lives and the nation’s reconstruction efforts.

The European Azerbaijan Centre has called on the international community to recognize the scale of the humanitarian disaster caused by these mines. It urges global support for Azerbaijan’s demining operations, both politically and technically, and insists that Armenia be held accountable for its failure to provide accurate mine maps, which not only violate international law but also place lives in jeopardy.

“Landmines are not just a physical threat; they are a barrier to peace, stability, and the rebuilding of our region,” the appeal emphasized. “We hope the international community will heed this call and take a more proactive stance in helping to eliminate this dangerous legacy of conflict.”

With the continued risk of landmine explosions, the Centre is pushing for swift action, urging the global community to show solidarity and assist Azerbaijan in ensuring a safer future for its citizens and the broader region.

By Tamilla Hasanova