BAKU: Azerbaijan’s ongoing efforts to clear mines from its recently liberated territories have achieved significant milestones, according to the Azerbaijan National Agency for Mine Action (ANAMA). The agency has successfully defused a substantial number of mines and unexploded ordnances that were placed by Armenian forces during the conflict.

According to Trend News Agency, ANAMA’s recent operations, conducted between October 7 and October 10, resulted in the discovery and neutralization of 141 anti-personnel and 64 anti-tank mines, along with 625 unexploded ordnances. These operations spanned several regions including Tartar, Aghdam, Aghdara, Lachin, Fuzuli, Shusha, Khojaly, Khankendi, Kalbajar, Khojavand, Jabrayil, Gubadli, and Zangilan. To date, ANAMA has cleared 1,198 hectares of land from mines.

The mine clearing efforts in Azerbaijan began in November 2020 following the liberation of territories that had been under occupation. Since the start of the operations, the mines have caused 379 casualties in
Eastern Zangezur and Karabakh, including 70 deaths and 309 injuries. Despite these challenges, the agency has made significant progress, clearing a total of 161,000 hectares of land and neutralizing 157,000 mines and unexploded ordnances in these regions.