UNICEF coordinator: Azerbaijan's mine death toll very high

The death toll from mine explosions in Azerbaijan is very high, especially given the population of the country, UNICEF Mine Action Coordinator Hugues Lorange said.

He made the remarks at the 2nd International Conference on “'Mine Action - The Path To Reaching Sustainable Development Goals”, Report informs.

"It is very important to clear mines in Azerbaijan without human losses, but for this, it is necessary to invest enough. In addition, every citizen must be aware of the danger and risks that mines carry. In addition, it is necessary to invest in building peace through education," he said.

The first day of the conference took place on May 25 in Aghdam, where panel discussions took place. During the trip, the guests also got acquainted with the construction and restoration work in the city.

About 190 officials representing 51 countries, including former heads of state and government, members of parliaments of several countries, the leadership of the UN headquarters, demining, as well as representatives of the diplomatic corps accredited in Azerbaijan.

Azerbaijan is one of the most mine-contaminated countries in the world, with more than 1.5 million mines placed during the period of occupation. In total, since the beginning of Armenia’s armed aggression, almost 3,400 Azerbaijani citizens have been affected by mines, of which 587 have died.

Since the end of the 44-day war, 302 Azerbaijani citizens have become victims of mines (57 dead, 245 wounded). Even after the end of the conflict, Armenia continues to lay mines in the territories of Azerbaijan using the Lachin road. In 2021 alone, more than 2,700 Armenian anti-personnel mines were discovered on Azerbaijan’s territory after a 44-day war.

Humanitarian demining is one of the main priorities of Azerbaijan's state policy. Today, demining in Azerbaijan is carried out using the most modern and advanced technologies available in the world. More than 90 per cent of the demining process in Azerbaijan is carried out using domestic resources.