Mine explosion injures deminer in Azerbaijan’s Jabrayil district

A man has been injured in a landmine incident in Azerbaijan’s Jabrayil district, officials have said.

The explosion occurred on January 7 in the village of Mehdili, in territory recaptured by Azerbaijan following years of occupation, Caliber.Az reports.

According to the Azerbaijan National Agency for Mine Action (ANAMA), the blast happened while a 40-year-old employee of a private company was carrying out humanitarian demining work. The man, identified as Rashad Mammadov, was injured when an anti-personnel mine detonated during the operation.

ANAMA said Mammadov sustained minor injuries to his leg. He was evacuated from the site and taken to the district central hospital.

Medical officials described his condition as satisfactory and said his life was not in danger.

Since the end of the Patriotic War, 415 people in Azerbaijan have fallen victim to landmines and unexploded ordnance (UXO), including 71 fatalities and 344 injuries, bringing the total number of victims since the 1990s to over 3,400.

By Aghakazim Guliyev