Ombudsman: Landmines in Azerbaijan pose grave risk to civilians

The Ombudsman of Azerbaijan has warned that the widespread presence of landmines across the country, particularly in areas previously occupied during the conflict with Armenia, continues to pose a severe threat to both military personnel and civilians.

In a statement, the Ombudsman highlighted the ongoing danger, citing a recent incident in which five Azerbaijani soldiers were injured by a landmine explosion in the Kalbajar district, Caliber.Az reports.

“Landmines endanger the lives of innocent people, hinder the return of internally displaced persons to their homes, obstruct reconstruction efforts in liberated territories, and cause serious environmental damage, disrupting the ecological balance across the region,” the statement read.

The Ombudsman criticised Armenia for allegedly refusing to provide accurate maps of mined areas, despite repeated appeals by Azerbaijan to international organisations. This refusal, the statement claims, contravenes international humanitarian law.

“I once again call on international organisations to exert serious pressure on Armenia and respond firmly to its military and environmental crimes, as well as its violations of humanitarian law,” the Ombudsman stated.

The issue of landmine contamination remains one of the most contentious and dangerous legacies of the decades-long conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the Nagorno-Karabakh region.

A military logistics vehicle of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces was damaged by a mine explosion in the Kalbajar district on the evening of August 5, according to an official statement from the Ministry of Defence.

The incident occurred at approximately 19:05 local time, when the vehicle struck a landmine reportedly planted by Armenian forces. Initial reports confirmed that four servicemen sustained injuries and were promptly evacuated to a medical facility. Their condition was assessed as non-life-threatening.

On August 6, the Prosecutor General’s Office of Azerbaijan issued an updated statement, confirming that five personnel were injured in the blast. The military prosecutor’s office of Kalbajar has launched a formal investigation into the incident.

By Aghakazim Guliyev