Former Azerbaijani MP defuses past with symbolic mine detonation in Fuzuli VIDEO

In an act underscoring the ongoing efforts to eliminate landmine threats in Azerbaijan’s liberated territories, former Member of Parliament and People's Poet Sabir Rustamkhanli personally detonated an Armenian-laid mine in Fuzuli district.

The detonation was conducted under the supervision of the Azerbaijan Mine Action Agency (ANAMA), which continues large-scale demining operations across territories regained following the 2020 Karabakh war, Caliber.Az reports.

Rustamkhanli was given the honor of activating the remote-controlled detonation device, safely neutralizing the explosive charge that had been discovered during recent clearance operations. The moment marked both a practical and symbolic victory in Azerbaijan’s broader campaign to rid its land of long-buried hazards left behind by Armenian forces.

Thousands of landmines remain scattered across Azerbaijan’s formerly occupied territories, posing an ongoing risk to returning civilians, infrastructure projects, and agricultural revitalization efforts.

Azerbaijan has endured the severe consequences of a 30-year-long conflict and occupation by Armenia, which has led to extensive landmine contamination across the country. Roughly 12 per cent of Azerbaijan's territory is polluted by approximately 1.5 million landmines and an unknown number of unexploded ordnances (UXOs). This mine pollution has made Azerbaijan one of the most mine-contaminated countries in the world.

According to the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry's May 2025 data, since the end of the Second Karabakh War of 2020, 397 people have been either killed or injured due to landmine contamination by Armenia. The total number of mine-related victims since the beginning of Armenia's aggression in the early 1990s exceeds 3,400, with 358 children and 38 women among the casualties.

The rise in mine victims is attributed to Armenia's failure to provide accurate minefield maps and its deliberate planting of mines in civilian areas such as roads, cemeteries, and other infrastructure behind the former frontlines. From 2020 to 2023, new minefields were created, extending over 500 kilometres of territory.

Humanitarian demining remains a top priority for Azerbaijan's government. The ANAMA is the primary institution responsible for demining operations. To date, approximately 140,000 hectares have been cleared of 119,946 mines and UXOs. However, vast areas remain contaminated, significantly hindering the country’s recovery and the safe return of 800,000 displaced citizens.

Azerbaijan has invested heavily in demining efforts, utilising advanced technologies and deploying all-women demining teams. Despite this, the country is funding the majority of its demining operations independently, and international assistance is crucial for further mitigating the humanitarian impact and facilitating the safe restoration of affected regions.

By Vafa Guliyeva