BAKU, Azerbaijan, Around 25 percent (over 16,000 hectares of land) of Azerbaijan’s liberated Aghdam district has been cleared of mines and unexploded ordnance, Chairman of the Board of the Azerbaijan National Agency for Mine Action (ANAMA) Vugar Suleymanov told reporters in Aghdam, Trend reports.
“Following this year’s plan, over 10,000 hectares of land will be cleared and transferred for use,” the chairman noted.
Landmines continue to pose a serious threat to civilians in Azerbaijan. In recent years, several people have been killed or injured by landmines, particularly in border areas with Armenia. The clearance of landmines is a slow and dangerous process, and it requires sustained international support and funding to ensure that all hazardous areas are cleared and made safe for civilians.
As part of the de-mining process from January 1 through January 30, 2023, a total of 61 anti-personnel, 157 anti-tank landmines, as well as 523 units of unexploded ordnance, were discovered and removed in Tartar, Kalbajar, Aghdam, Khojavand, Lachin, Shusha, Fuzuli, Gubadli, Jabrayil, and Zangilan districts.
Meanwhile, in 2022 ANAMA has cleared over 8,780 anti-personnel, 4,133 anti-tank landmines, as well as 14,950 unexploded ordnances from 41,915 hectares of land.
Source: TREND News Agency