Man injured in mine explosion in Azerbaijan's Goranboy district UPDATED

A landmine explosion in Yenikend village of Azerbaijan’s Goranboy district has resulted in the amputation of a local resident’s leg.

A joint statement from the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Prosecutor General’s Office, and the Azerbaijan Mine Action Agency (ANAMA) has confirmed that the injured individual is 45-year-old Qalib Abbasov, a resident of Garachinar.

The incident occurred on May 31 in the nearby village of Yenikend, on the former line of contact—an area that has not yet been fully cleared of landmines. According to the statement, Abbasov was grazing cattle when he stepped on a mine, resulting in severe injuries. His left leg was amputated below the knee.

The Goranboy district prosecutor’s office is currently conducting an investigation into the circumstances of the explosion.

In their joint statement, ANAMA, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and the Prosecutor General’s Office urged citizens to remain vigilant, adhere to mine safety protocols, observe warning signs, and avoid entering unfamiliar or uncleared areas.

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A 45-year-old man sustained serious injuries after stepping on a landmine near the village of Garachinar in Azerbaijan’s Goranboy district. 

The incident occurred in the forest area, local media reported, as cited by Caliber.Az.

The injured man has been identified as Q. Abbasov, born in 1980. According to initial reports, Abbasov stepped on the mine while grazing livestock in the forest.

He was promptly taken to the hospital for treatment. Authorities have launched an investigation into the incident.

The recent incident underscores the persistent danger of landmines in Azerbaijan’s liberated regions, especially in Karabakh and East Zangezur regions. As part of its post-conflict recovery efforts, Azerbaijan has made large-scale demining a top priority. Nevertheless, progress is slowed by the vast number of mines and unexploded ordnance laid by Armenian forces over decades of occupation.

It is estimated that since the 1990s, more than one million landmines have been planted across Karabakh and its surrounding areas. Even after the 2020 war ended, nearly 3,000 Armenian-made mines, manufactured in 2021, were discovered in the Kalbajar and Lachin districts, highlighting ongoing hazards despite the cessation of active conflict.

The human cost has been severe: since November 2020, 393 Azerbaijani citizens have been injured or killed by landmine incidents, with many more casualties dating back to the beginning of Armenia’s military aggression. Attempts to acquire accurate maps of minefields from Armenia have largely failed, as Azerbaijani officials consider the supplied maps to be incomplete and unreliable.

At present, roughly 12 percent of Azerbaijan’s territory remains contaminated with landmines and explosive remnants of war, creating a significant barrier to reconstruction and the safe return of displaced residents.

By Sabina Mammadli