Presidential aide raises alarm over rising number of mine victims in Azerbaijan

Hikmet Hajiyev, Assistant to the President of Azerbaijan and head of the Foreign Policy Department of the Presidential Administration, addressed the ongoing mine threat in Azerbaijan on the social network X.

According to Caliber.Az, Hajiyev shared a publication on his X page stating, "Mine victims of Azerbaijan continues to grow. Innocent civilians and landmine clearance operatives are main victims. Armenia implanted millions of landmines in the formerly occupied lands of Azerbaijan."

Mine victims of Azerbaijan continues to grow. Innocent civilians and landmine clearance operatives are main victims. Armenia implanted millions of #landmines in the formerly occupied lands of Azerbaijan. pic.twitter.com/3Hh13BdrAT

— Hikmet Hajiyev (@HikmetHajiyev) May 30, 2024

For nearly 30 years of occupation of Azerbaijani lands, Armenia destroyed entire towns and villages with all infrastructure and planted land and anti-tank mines across the vast area of land to kill and maim both Azerbaijani civilians and military.

Since the end of the 44-day Second Karabakh War of 2020, the Azerbaijani government has been carrying out demining operations in the liberated territories to expedite the return of internally displaced people to their homes.

Despite the Azerbaijani government’s best efforts, mobilization and training of deminers, the problem is believed to haunt both civilians and military in the area and use public money to cope with the problem.

Since the 44-day war in 2020, several hundred people have become victims of landmines in the liberated territories of Azerbaijan, including dozens killed, while others received injuries of varying degrees of severity. Among the injured are children, young people and women.

ANAMA reported that the maps provided by Armenia were just 2 per cent effective in mine action. According to the Azerbaijani government data, international experts estimate that Azerbaijan needs nearly 30 years and $25 billion to solve issues related to demining.