FM: Armenia transported landmines into Karabakh for three years after 2020 ceasefire

Armenia continued to deliver landmines into the Karabakh region for three years following the 2020 trilateral ceasefire agreement, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov said on May 10. 

His comments came during a media briefing as he visited the Alley of Honour in Baku to mark the 102nd anniversary of national leader Heydar Aliyev, Caliber.Az reports, citing domestic media.

“After November 2020, there have been approximately 400 landmine incidents in the liberated territories of Azerbaijan. As a result, about 70 people were either killed or suffered severe bodily injuries,” Bayramov stated.

He highlighted that more than half of the incidents occurred in areas for which Armenia had not provided any minefield maps.

The foreign minister said Armenia used the Lachin road to transport landmines into the Karabakh region in violation of the November 2020 ceasefire statement. “Until Azerbaijan established control over the Lachin road, Armenia used it for the illegal transport of landmines into Karabakh, even though the road was intended exclusively for humanitarian purposes, according to the trilateral declaration,” Bayramov said.

He also drew attention to renewed mine planting activities within areas under the operational control of the Russian peacekeeping contingent. “Following 2020, a significant part of the territory along the perimeter of the peacekeeping zone was replanted. This constitutes not only a blatant violation of international humanitarian law but also a clear failure by Armenia to fulfil its obligations under the 2020 agreement,” Bayramov said.

The Azerbaijani government has consistently called for comprehensive minefield maps and has accused Armenia of obstructing post-conflict recovery and the safe return of displaced persons through continued militarisation and contamination of the region.

By Tamilla Hasanova