Tractor hits landmine in Azerbaijan's Kalbajar district, one injured
A tractor hit a landmine in the village of Susuzlug, Kalbajar district, on June 1, injuring one person in the latest incident linked to the lingering threat of landmines in Azerbaijan’s liberated territories.
The tractor was being used by a private company contracted to build a rural road in the area. The vehicle triggered an explosive device while operating on the construction site, Caliber.Az reports via local media.
The injured man has been identified as Rashadat Asadov, born in 1989. He was promptly transported to a medical facility, where his condition is reported as satisfactory.
Authorities have launched an investigation to determine the circumstances of the incident and whether the area had been previously cleared of mines.
This marks the second landmine-related injury in the past two days, highlighting the ongoing dangers posed by mines and unexploded ordnance left behind during Armenia’s decades-long occupation of Azerbaijani territories. According to presidential aide Hikmet Hajiyev, nearly 400 Azerbaijani citizens have fallen victim to landmine explosions since the 2020 war. He noted that these mines were extensively and deliberately planted by Armenia during its occupation—often without military necessity—specifically to harm civilians and hinder the return of displaced persons.
In late May alone, three separate incidents underscored the ongoing danger. An Azerbaijani soldier was wounded during mine clearance near Istisu, while two civilians—one in Aghdara and another in Goranboy—suffered life-altering injuries while grazing cattle. All three cases occurred near the former line of contact, where contamination remains severe.
Azerbaijan continues to prioritise large-scale demining operations, but an estimated 12 per cent of the country remains affected by landmines and explosive remnants of war, obstructing reconstruction and safe resettlement in Karabakh and East Zangezur.
By Vugar Khalilov
editor@caliber.az
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