Man killed in mine explosion in Azerbaijan's Tartar

A man has been killed in a mine explosion in Azerbaijan’s Tartar District.

The announcement was made public in a joint report by the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the General Prosecutor's Office, and the Azerbaijan Mine Action Agency (ANAMA), Caliber.Az reports.

The victim, identified as Arzu Najaf oglu Hajiyev, born in 1965, detonated a mine while grazing cattle near the former line of contact in an area not yet cleared of explosives.

He died on the spot from his wounds.

An investigation into the incident is currently underway by the Tartar district prosecutor's office.

Following the 2020 Second Karabakh War, Azerbaijan gained control of territories that had been occupied by Armenian forces for nearly three decades. However, a significant challenge remained - extensive mine contamination. These mines pose a serious threat to civilians attempting to return to their homes and livelihoods, as well as hindering reconstruction efforts.

The Azerbaijani government launched extensive mine clearance operations shortly after the war ended in November 2020.  The Azerbaijan National Agency for Mine Action (ANAMA) is leading the demining efforts. ANAMA has deployed specialists and advanced equipment from various countries, including Türkiye, Britain, Slovakia, and Croatia.

In 2023 alone, ANAMA cleared more than 53,000 hectares (130,000 acres) of territory from over 8,500 anti-personnel and anti-tank mines, as well as 23,000 unexploded ordnances (UXO). In March of this year, more than 400 mines and 1,200 UXOs were found and diffused on nearly 6,100 hectares (15,000 acres) of lands.