Aghdam: Nearly 35,000 hectares of land in Aghdam have been cleared of mines as part of the Great Return plan, marking a significant step in the resettlement process of Sarijali village. The first stage of this initiative involved clearing the village territory of mines, paving the way for the resettlement of the population. The second stage will focus on clearing agricultural lands around Sarijali village, enabling the village population to engage in farming activities, according to Vugar Suleymanov, Chairman of the Board of the Mine Action Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

According to Azeri-Press News Agency, Sarijali village, which was on the former line of contact, has experienced mining activities for approximately 30 years. Despite the excessive contamination, demining efforts in the area have been progressing successfully. The work in the “SARIJALI 008” area is nearing completion, after which the efforts will transition to the next area. Since the 44-day Patriotic War, around 35,000 hectares of land in the Aghdam district have been cleared of mines and unexploded ordnance.

Demining activities are ongoing in all liberated territories, including Gazakh. To date, more than 206,000 hectares have been completely cleared of mines and unexploded ordnance, with approximately 199,000 mines and unexploded ordnance detected and neutralized.